Sometimes when a cruise line finds an out-of-the-way port to visit, one senses they have overreached their ambitions. Still, Crotone has an archaeological museum that left me wondering. This golden crown was the obvious highlight of their holdings, but not the most interesting.

The museum describes this as a Gorgone Alta, or High Gorgone. They have several examples. All with their tongue sticking out and all smiling. Yet the internet describes a Gorgone as a woman with venemous snakes for hair that could turn the observer into stone. It refers to three sisters, Medusa being the best known and the only of the three that was mortal. Was this the precursor to the feminine danger we know of today?

Or how about this Sirene de Kroton? Sirenes tempted Hercules’ men to their death, if they allowed themselves to hear the call. Was this bird-woman equally dangerous to us male mortal?. Is she the precursor to the mermaids that allegedly tempted so many early mariners to their deaths, deep in the ocean?

Why did early man find women so dangerous? I will never know the answers. Maybe that makes these simple ancient statues more interesting.

Ciao.