INDEX

LinB words
ko-re-te |

Greek words
κούρητε | Κουρῆτες |

ko-re-te | κούρητε (kourete) | the Cretan tribe (Curete)
ko-re-te | Κουρῆτε(ς) (kouretes) | a young man, a young warrior (Kouretes)
Knossos (Scribes 201, unknown)
Pylos (Scribes 1, 2, 21, Ci, Cii)
Although ke-re-te is a hapax, Palmer [1969:336] surmises Κρήτη (Krete); however, ke-re-te and ke-re-te-re prob. refer to κρητήρ “a mixing vessel”.  ko-re-te, with 16 certain and eight uncertain entries, is the more likely candidate for references to Κρήτη:
(A) κούρητε (Curete) “the Cretan tribe, connected with peculiar rites at Delos” as they pertain to Zeus.
(B) Κουρῆτες (Kouretes) “a young man, a young warrior” as it relates to the Korybantes.  κόρος and Epic / Ionic κοῦρος “a boy” prob. are back formations. Both the Kouretes and the Cretan Zeus, “the greatest κοῦρος”, as indicated in the Cretan hymn that was found at Palaikastro), were intimately connected with the transition of young men into manhood in Cretan cities.  Davaras [1976:168] states that the Kouretes invented the bow and introduced archery, hunting, and the armed dance.
09.06.15