Mothers of the Minotaur

Ever since their rediscovery in the early 1900s, the Minoans who lived in what is now Crete during the Bronze Age have remained something of a mystery. How did the people who made up this first advanced European civilisation actually live? Was it a society of powerful women, as numerous historical depictions would suggest, or was it the mythical Minos described by Homer? And what led to the downfall of this society? Scientists are now closer to answering the many questions relating to the Minoans than ever before.

The documentary MOTHERS OF THE MINOTAUR accompanies researchers as they evaluate this most female-centric of all known advanced civilisations, examining artefacts from recent excavations and DNA tests of skeletons in Minoan graves. Their results, combined with compelling re-enactments, provide viewers with a greater understanding of this long-gone yet still very relevant ancient society.

  • Written & directed by Iris Fegerl
  • Director of photography Harald Staudach
  • Editor Tanja Lesowsky
  • Produced by EPO-FILM and ANEMON
  • in co-production with ORF, ZDF/ARTE and Cosmote TV
  • with the support of the Austrian Television Fund and VAM in association with ORF-Enterprise