According to Arthur Evans, a tree cult played one of the most important aspects of the Minoan religion in ancient Crete.
[2] Given the role of the hieros gamos between the two, it has been theorized that Velchanos was partially based on the Mesopotamian Dumuzid.
[5] In the 4th century BC, during the beginning of the Hellenistic era, Hagia Triada fell under the control of the polis of Phaistos and was reinstated as a place of worship.
In the same location, a bull protome was also found, built around the 2nd century BC, which is attributed to the shrine of Velchanos.
[10] Velchanus' main festival, the Velchania, was likely celebrated in the Cretan poleis of Gortyna, Lyttos,[11] and Knossos.