---
title: Daedalus
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Daedalus/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2023-03-30
---
# Daedalus
_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_
Daedalus is a figure from [Greek mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Mythology/) famous for his sculptures, clever inventions, and as the architect of the [Minotaur](https://www.worldhistory.org/Minotaur/)'s [labyrinth](https://www.worldhistory.org/Labyrinth/) on [Crete](https://www.worldhistory.org/crete/). Daedalus is the father of Icarus who flew too close to the Sun on his artificial wings and so drowned in the [Mediterranean](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/mediterranean/).
By the [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) period, Daedalus had acquired a long string of accomplishments and he came to represent the general idea of the supreme master craftsman. The myths of Daedalus appear in the works of such noted writers as [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/), [Herodotus](https://www.worldhistory.org/herodotus/), [Ovid](https://www.worldhistory.org/ovid/), and [Virgil](https://www.worldhistory.org/virgil/).
### Origins & Name
The ancient Greeks closely associated Daedalus (also spelt Daidalos) with the [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) [Hephaistos](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hephaistos/), the genius craftsman of Mt. Olympus. It is possible that both figures have their origin in the Phoenician and [Ugarit](https://www.worldhistory.org/ugarit/) god Kothar, who was also considered a skilled artisan. In addition, it seems likely that highly valued artworks traded by the [Phoenicians](https://www.worldhistory.org/phoenicia/) and reaching [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/), especially Crete, gave rise to myths concerning the fabled craftsmen of the [Near East](https://www.worldhistory.org/Near_East/). Moreover, the very word *daidalos* signified 'finely-worked' and 'elaborate'.
### Craftsman to King Minos
In Book 18 of the *[Iliad](https://www.worldhistory.org/iliad/),* Homer mentions that Daedalus lived at [Knossos](https://www.worldhistory.org/knossos/) on Crete and designed an open-air dance floor there for King Minos' daughter [Ariadne](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ariadne/). He is credited in later sources as offering his considerable skills for other projects on Crete, specifically, designing the wooden bull that Minos' wife [Pasiphae](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pasiphae/) used to capture the affections of the bull she was in love with, building Minos' [palace](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/palace/), and constructing the labyrinth where the offspring of that union, the half man-half bull Minotaur, dwelt. The same sources also report that Daedalus made the thread which Ariadne gave to the hero [Theseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Theseus/) so that he might kill the Minotaur and escape from the labyrinth.
### Daedalus & Icarus Flee Crete
Daedalus fell out of favour with King Minos, probably, and perhaps understandably, for the cow he had built Pasiphae, and he and his son Icarus were forced to flee for their lives. For this purpose, Daedalus constructed wings so that the pair might fly with ease from the wrathful king. Daedalus warned his son that for the wings to function best he should not fly too close to the sea lest the moisture render the feathers too heavy and useless, nor should he fly too high or the sun's heat would likewise damage the wings.
The young Icarus, alas, did not heed his father's advice and, on over-reaching himself and flying too close to the sun, the heat melted the wax which attached the wings to his arms. As a consequence, he plummeted into the sea and drowned in a tale that reminded of the folly of over-ambition. The tragedy was commemorated in the naming of the stretch of waters in that area the Icarian Sea, and then, when [Hercules](https://www.worldhistory.org/hercules/) dragged the washed up body to an island, he re-named that place Icaria in honour of the fallen youth. The island still bears the name today and lies just south-west of [Samos](https://www.worldhistory.org/samos/).
[  The Palace of Knossos Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/370/the-palace-of-knossos/ "The Palace of Knossos")### Daedalus on [Sicily](https://www.worldhistory.org/sicily/)
Meanwhile, Daedalus had made it safely to Sicily where he was looked after by King Cocalus (also spelt Kokalos). In gratitude to Hercules, Daedalus sculpted a fantastically life-like statue of the hero. Unfortunately, this statue came to an unfortunate end one night, when Hercules himself stumbled across it and, convinced by its realism, thought it an enemy and smashed it to pieces. At the same time, King Minos had not simply allowed his talented architect to escape scot-free and actually pursued him all the way to Sicily but upon landing the daughters of Cocalus boiled him alive in a steam bath. Daedalus soon gave Cocalus reason to be glad for his arrival as he continued to produce such masterworks as a golden ram (or honeycomb) for the [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) of [Aphrodite](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aphrodite/) on Mt. Eryx, a fortress at Acragas ([Agrigento](https://www.worldhistory.org/agrigento/)), and a steam bath at [Selinus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Selinus/) ([Selinunte](https://www.worldhistory.org/Selinus/)).
### The Legend of Daedalus Grows
From the 5th century BCE, [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/) claimed the artist as one of their own, and Theseus was considered to have brought him back to Athens, replacing Crete as his place of birth and Sicily as his final destination. A whole family tree was devised so that such figures as [Socrates](https://www.worldhistory.org/socrates/) claimed descent from Daedalus. The craftsman was given a nephew, Talos, the man of [bronze](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/bronze/) who protected Crete, whom he killed, jealous of the younger man's invention of the saw, compass, and potter's wheel. This murder explained why Daedalus was exiled to Crete. Over the following centuries, Daedalus was credited with an ever-increasing number of fabulous inventions and artworks, from living statues to the magnificently decorated golden doors of the temple of [Apollo](https://www.worldhistory.org/apollo/) at Cumae, [Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/italy/). He was even said to have invented the walking pose of early [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) statues, differentiating them from earlier and somewhat static [Egyptian](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Egyptian/) figures and paving the way for the more life-like poses of later [Greek sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Sculpture/). The Romans even made Daedalus the patron of carpenters.
[  Daedalus & Pasiphaë Unknown Artist (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5056/daedalus--pasiphae/ "Daedalus & Pasiphaë")### How is Daedalus Represented in Art?
Daedalus and Icarus appear in Greek art, especially [pottery](https://www.worldhistory.org/pottery/) painting. The earliest Greek example may date to c. 560 BCE. The pair also appear on an [Etruscan](https://www.worldhistory.org/Etruscan_Civilization/) [gold](https://www.worldhistory.org/gold/) amulet (*bulla*) from c. 470 BCE. Daedalus' labyrinth was used as a symbol on Cretan coins and was a popular motif for Roman [mosaic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mosaic/) makers. In [Greek drama](https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Theatre/), Daedalus was the subject of several [satyr](https://www.worldhistory.org/satyr/) plays and comedies, including those by such notable playwrights as [Sophocles](https://www.worldhistory.org/sophocles/) and [Aristophanes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aristophanes/). The Roman writer Ovid gave the figure a new lease of life in the Roman era by describing Daedalus' adventures in his *Metamorphosis* (Bk. 8). Consequently, he became a favourite subject of Roman painters, notably seen in a 1st-century CE [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) painting of the House of the Vettii at [Pompeii](https://www.worldhistory.org/pompeii/). Even in the modern world Daedalus' name lives on as a style of [Archaic](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Archaic/) [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/) (Daedalic) which demonstrates the orientalizing features seen in early Greek sculpture.
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- Bagnall, R. et al. *The Encyclopedia of Ancient History.* Wiley-Blackwell, 2012
- [Carabatea, M. *Greek Mythology.* Adam Editions, 1997.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/9605001020/)
- [Carpenter, T.H. *Art and Myth in Ancient Greece.* Thames & Hudson, 1991.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0500202362/)
- [Homer. *The Iliad.* Penguin Classics, 1998.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0140275363/)
- [Hope Moncrieff, A.R. *Classical Mythology.* Senate: an imprint of Studio Editions, 1994.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1859580092/)
- [Hornblower, S. *The Oxford Classical Dictionary.* Oxford University Press, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199545561/)
- [Lane Fox, R. *Travelling Heroes.* Penguin UK, 2009.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0140244999/)
- [Oleson, J.P. et al. *The Oxford Handbook of Engineering and Technology in the Classical World.* Oxford University Press, 2009.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199734852/)
- [Ovid's Metamorphosis](http://www.gutenberg.org/files/26073/26073-h/Met_VIII-XI.html#bookVIII "Ovid's Metamorphosis"), accessed 1 Dec 2016.
## About the Author
Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.
## Questions & Answers
### What is the myth of Daedalus?
The myth of Daedalus has him as a master craftsman who makes fantastic inventions. He designed the labyrinth on Crete that was used by King Minos to keep the Minotaur.
### What is the meaning of Daedalus?
The meaning of Daedalus comes from 'daidalos' which signifies 'finely-worked' or 'elaborate'.
## External Links
- [The scientific origins of the Minotaur - Matt Kaplan](http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-scientific-origins-of-the-minotaur-matt-kaplan)
- [The myth of Icarus and Daedalus - Amy Adkins](https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-myth-of-icarus-and-daedalus-amy-adkins)
- [The Myth of Talos, the First Robot - Adrienne Mayor](https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-greek-myth-of-talos-the-first-robot-adrienne-mayor)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Cartwright, M. (2016, May 12). Daedalus. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Daedalus." *World History Encyclopedia*, May 12, 2016. .
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Daedalus." *World History Encyclopedia*, 12 May 2016, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 12 May 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.