took place. The carved 'disembodied eyes' of the Palace of 

 Quetzalpap^lotl are further evidence confirming this hypothesis. 

 The 'disembodied eye' motif is not restricted to Mesoamerican 

 art. Figure 5 illustrates the design on a gold ring, circa 1500 

 B.C., from Crete. The scene probably depicts an epiphany of the 

 Great Mother goddess Artemis (the figure on the right) in the 

 form of an anthropomorphic bee (3). The hierophants who 

 attended the Ephesian Artemis were called Essenes or 'King 

 Bees' and the later Greek mother goddesses, such as Rhea and 

 Demeter, were attended by priestesses called Melissae, 'Bees' (4). 

 It would seem that the four figures on the left of the ring 

 represent the Melissae, bee-priestesses worshipping the goddess. 

 A 'disembodied eye' is clearly represented near the center of the 

 composition, between the goddess and her devotees. Here we 

 have a representation of a visionary scene, from an Old World 



Figure 5. Gold ring of Isopata near Knossos, greatly enlarged. Scene depicts 

 epiphany of goddess (presumably Artemis) on the right, and four worshippers, 

 all represented as anthropomorphic bees. Note 'disembodied eye' in center, and 

 plants (presumably entheogenic) surrounding goddess. 



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