
Ariadne’s Threads
A book on Aegean clothing by Berenice R. Jones
With Ariadne’s Threads, published in 2015, Berenice Jones has written the standard work on clothing in the Aegean Bronze Age that will serve as the basis for all future research.

Blades from Malia
Status symbols of the Minoan elite?
Finds from the Minoan settlement at Malia include a number of beautiful swords and daggers, now in the Archaeological Museum of Iraklion.

The Chieftain Cup
Another fascinating object from Agia Triada
The Chieftain Cup, currently in the archaeological museum of Iraklion, depicts a scene on one side that features a commanding figure, probably a leader of some sort.

The Harvester Vase
A beautiful vessel from Agia Triada
From the Minoan administrative centre of Agia Triada comes a black steatite vase depicting what appears to be a procession or processional dance connected to either a sowing or harvesting festival.

The Agia Triada sarcophagus
From Agia Triada comes a remarkable limestone sacrophagus with figurative scenes that may shed light on the nature of Bronze Age religion.

Talos, the bronze guardian
An Attic red-figure vase of the early fourth century BC depicts the death of Talos, the bronze guardian of the island of Crete.

The Phaistos Disc
The earliest “printed” text
One of the most curious finds from the Minoan palace at Phaistos is a small, clay disc featuring a stamped text on both sides.

Jumping the bull
The bull-leaping fresco from Knossos
We take a closer look at the bull-leaping fresco from Knossos (now in Iraklion), one of many depictions of ancient Minoan bull-sports.

Horns of Consecration
A closer look at a Minoan symbol
When he excavated Knossos, Arthur Evans happened across artefacts that he believed were stylized horns of a sacred bull. Was he correct?

A peculiar statue of Faustina
A life-size statue in Naples is described as “Fortuna-Isis restored as the younger Faustina in the clothes of Ceres.” What does that mean?