According to Greek mythology, the titan Cronus was prophesied to be defeated by his own son and every time his next offspring came into the world, he swallowed him, until finally his wife, the goddess Rhea, decided to deceive him. Having taken refuge in one of the mountain caves and having given birth to the future supreme god of Olympus Zeus, Rhea gave Cronus a stone wrapped in a veil, which he swallowed, and left the child in the cave. This cave was guarded by the Corybantes, who staged noisy dances in front of the cave entrance to drown out the baby's cries and distract Cronus.
True, even Pausanias wrote that it is impossible to list all the possible places where the cave where Zeus was born and brought up could be located. There is no consensus even today, but among the most popular versions it is worth mentioning the Diktean and Idean caves on the island of Crete. Today they are some of the most interesting sights of the island, which are definitely worth a visit.
The Diktea Cave is located in the eastern part of the island in the Diktea Mountains on the picturesque Lasithi plateau, at an altitude of 1025 metres above sea level, near the small village of Psihro. The first explorations of Diktei Cave were carried out in 1886 by Joseph Hadzidakis, and 10 years later the study of the cave was continued by the British archaeologist Ser Arthur Evans. During the excavations a number of unique artefacts were discovered (now preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion and the Ashmole Museum in Oxford), indicating that the cave was for a very long time an important cult centre where the god Zeus was worshipped. The cave consists of a vestibule with an altar and special stone structures for offerings and a main hall. There is a small lake at the back of the cave. Diktejska cave is open to the public and thanks to electric lighting you can enjoy the stunning beauty of stalactites and stalagmites.
No less beautiful and interesting is the Ida cave, which is located on the slopes of Mount Ida in the central part of the island. The only entrance to the cave is located in the western part of the Nido Plateau at an altitude of 1,538 metres above sea level. Like the Diktei Cave, many ancient artefacts have been found here (the earliest dating back to the Neolithic period), including cult objects, indicating the existence of a sanctuary in the cave. It is believed that this is where the annual "Idaean Rings" - mysteries in honour of Zeus - were held. The Idea Cave is also accessible to the public.
