 | It was made sometime between 1800 and 1700 B.C. Although the famed archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans suggested the pendant depicted bees, the meaning behind the design has been debated. It is 1.8 inches (4.6 centimeters) long and weighs 0.2 ounces. (5.5 grams) The ancient goldsmith combined several techniques to create the piece — filigree, granulation, repoussé and incised decoration. The pendant is considered a masterpiece. |
Some researchers suggest the pendant shows European honeybees (Apis mellifera) in the process of making honey. This doesn't account for the three dangling circles. These may represent the fruits of the Mediterranean hartwort (Tordylium apulum), an edible herb that's common in Crete. If the dangling discs represent this fruit, the insects being depicted may be mammoth wasps (Megascolia maculata). Whatever the maker intended, the Malia Bee Pendant is one of the finest and most intricate examples of Aegean Bronze Age metalwork in the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment