/lit/ - Literature

In order to understand the Minotaur, you need to understand the Minoans.
As is well known, caves played a religious role from the Paleolithic. The labyrinth takes over and enlarges this role, and thus entering a cave or labyrinth was equivalent to the descent to hades, or, a ritual death of the initiatory type.
The Minoans held sacred bullfights, as depicted in paintings at Knossos. Both sexes participate in it, and the acrobats would jump and pass over the bull. Passing over the running bull is a great initiatory ordeal. Likely, the legend of Theseus’ companions of seven youths and maidens being offered to the Minotaur reflects a memory of this sort of ritual.
Unfortunately, we don’t know anything about the mythology of the divine bull or his roll in the cult. But, since the Horns of Consecration existed (large stylized carvings of bulls horns with an alter between them), passing between the horns of the bull has a specialized religious function.
Assumedly, passing between the bulls horns during the bull fights was a highly symbolic act.

The myth of the Minotaur is the slow transformation of a ritual practice into a myth over the course of millennia.

There is a deeper meaning to it, but it’s been lost to the ages. It’s not a universal myth from prehistory that gives insight into man’s slow self awakening. Rather it’s a more recent occurrence dealing with initiation rites in a culture that grants bulls a sacred place.
I suggest studying Minoan culture if you’re genuinely interested in it. And the role of cattle in religion to get a vague idea of what the bull could have originally symbolized