Europa and the Bull

1923-1924

Ancient Greek mythology tells of how Zeus—the king of the gods—transformed into a bull to abduct the princess Europa. Here, she gently touches the bull’s tongue and rides high on his back. This appears to emphasize her empowerment in a story that, like so many ancient myths, has sexual violation at its core.

According to some ancient narratives, Europa’s father was from the eastern Mediterranean and her mother was Egyptian. Zeus carried Europa from Phoenicia (present-day Lebanon) west to Crete, where their son established the Minoan dynasty that became the foundation of all subsequent European civilizations north of the Mediterranean. The European continent was named after Europa, making her Middle Eastern and African roots, and her forced immigration, integral parts of Europe’s origin story.