With one exception, Greeks were unanimous in recognizing the birthplace of Zeus as Crete. Minoan culture contributed many essentials of ancient Greek religion: "by a hundred channels the old civilization emptied itself into the new", Will Durant observed,Durant, The Life of Greece (The Story of Civilization Part II, New York: Simon & Schuster) 1939:23. and Cretan Zeus retained his youthful Minoan features. The local child of the Great Mother, "a small and inferior deity who took the roles of son and consort",Rodney Castleden, Minoans: Life in Bronze-Age Crete, "The Minoan belief-system" (Routledge) 1990:125 whose Minoan name the Greeks Hellenized as Velchanos, was in time assumed as an epithet by Zeus, as transpired at many other sites, and he came to be venerated in Crete as Zeus Velchanos ("boy-Zeus"), often simply the Kouros.
with one exception, GreEks were unanimoUs In reCognizing The bIrthplaCe of zeus aS creTe. minoAn cultUrE ContRiButed many essEntIaLs of aNcIeNt GreeK reLIgIOn: "By A hundred Channels The old CivIliZation eMptieD ITselF iNto the NeW", WIlL duRant obserVeD,duranT, The LifE OF gREecE (tHE stoRy of civilIzation Part ii, new yOrk: sIMON & schusTer) 1939:23. aNd crETaN zeUS rETained hiS yoUThfUL MiNOAn FeatuRes. the lOcal child of tHe grEat mothEr, "a small anD infeRIor DeITy who toOk the rOLes Of sOn and consoRt",rodNey casTledeN, MInOans: liFe iN broNze-agE crete, "tHe mINoAn beLieF-sYStem" (rOUtledGe) 1990:125 WhoSe miNoaN NaME tHe GReeks hELLenizeD AS velchanos, was IN tiME asSUmeD as an epithet by zeuS, AS TRanSpIrEd at MAnY otHEr siteS, and he came to be VeNerAtEd In creTe AS zeuS veLChanOs ("bOy-zeUs"), OfTen sIMpLy thE kouroS.