Editing Eileithyia (section)

=== Crete ===
The [[Eileithyia Cave|Cave of Eileithyia]] near [[Amnisos]], the harbor of [[Knossos]], mentioned in the ''[[Odyssey]]'' (xix.189) in connection with her cult, was accounted the birthplace of Eileithyia.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:19.148-19.189 19.189].</ref> In the river nearby also named Amnisos, lived nymphs that were sacred to Eileithyia named Amnisades and Amnisabes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=William|title=Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography; Amni'sus|publisher=Walton and Maberly|year=1854|language=English}}</ref> The Cretan cave has stalactites suggestive of the goddess' double form (Kerenyi 1976 fig. 6), of bringing labor on and of delaying it, and votive offerings to her have been found establishing the continuity of her cult from Neolithic times, with a revival as late as the Roman period.<ref>For the proceedings and findings of the archaeology, see [[Amnisos]].</ref> Here she was probably being worshipped before Zeus arrived in the Aegean, but certainly in Minoan–Mycenaean times.<ref name=":123"/> The goddess is mentioned as '''Eleuthia''' in a [[Linear B]] fragment from Knossos, where it is stated that her temple is given an amphora of honey.<ref name=":14">Walter Burkert (1985). ''Greek Religion''. Harvard University Press. [https://books.google.com/books?id=sxurBtx6shoC&pg=PA26 p. 26]</ref> In the cave of [[Amnisos]] (Crete) the god Enesidaon (the "earth shaker", who is the chthonic [[Poseidon]]) is related to the cult of Eileithyia.<ref>Dietrich, pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=rgWHB3QMB3sC&pg=PA220 220]–[https://books.google.com/books?id=rgWHB3QMB3sC&pg=PA221 221].</ref> She was related with the annual birth of the divine child.<ref>Dietrich, [https://books.google.com/books?id=rgWHB3QMB3sC&pg=PA109 p. 109].</ref> The goddess of nature and her companion survived in the [[Eleusinian mysteries|Eleusinian cult]], where the following words were uttered: "Mighty [[Potnia]] bore a strong son."<ref>Dietrich, [https://books.google.com/books?id=rgWHB3QMB3sC&pg=167 p. 167]</ref>

In classical times, there were shrines to Eileithyia in the Cretan cities of [[Lato]] and [[Eleutherna]] and a sacred cave at [[Inatos]]. At a sanctuary in [[Inatos|Tsoutsouros Inatos]], two small terracotta figures, one breastfeeding and the other pregnant, have been dated to the 7th century.<ref name=":42"/>