Continuing my thoughts on Knossos, I move now to the Queen’s bedroom. The queen apparently liked dolphins. Some think the queen worshiped Delphin, the god of dolphins, but I disagree. (yes, I dare to disagree with certain experts). I have my reasons. One reason I disagree is because the god Delphin is portrayed much differently in the available images we have uncovered. As you can see (down below), Delphin does not look much like an actual dolphin. I suppose one could argue he looks like a fat mutated dolphin.
In any case, it’s my opinion that the queen probably just liked dolphins and had her chamber decorated with them. Dolphins were sometimes portrayed as rescuing stranded sailors. Images of people riding to safety on dolphins are well documented. Perhaps this dolphin fresco brought feelings of safety and comfort to the queen. I don’t really know. I’m speculating. This all makes me wonder about dolphins as a symbol of Christianity. The ‘fish’ symbol dates back to the beginnings of the faith. But why a fish and not the dolphin? It was a symbol of salvation in some religions already. Why not use this beloved creature that already had overtones of ‘saving people’ attached to it? It’s hard to say. Sometimes Christianity adapted older symbols to new purposes. Sometimes not. In any case, the more commonplace word ‘fish’ (Ichthus) was adapted, and it’s letters came to represent certain truths of the Christian faith. Christians use the fish as a symbol of the faith. Dolphins lost their chance at being a part of Christian symbolism and tradition. But they’re still amazing creatures!