Smarthistory – Minoan art

The remarkable and influential bronze-age culture on the island of Crete is called "Minoan" after the mythic King Minos.

c. 3000–c. 1100 B.C.E.

videos + essays

We're adding new content all the time!

There aren’t many places in the world like Knossos—after all, it is 9,000 years old.

The Bronze Age culture of Crete, called Minoan, is one of the most vibrant and admired in all of European prehistory.

The people of the ancient Aegean were great seafarers and traders, talented potters, painters, jewelers, weavers and carvers of stone.

This ivory statue of a young man bears similarities to both Greek and Egyptian art.

This delicate type of pottery helps us understand the far-reaching trade networks in the ancient Mediterranean.

This beautifully painted sarcophagus depicts an elaborate burial ritual—was it made for royalty?

This hollow stone vessel in the shape of a bull's head is both frighteningly realistic and beautifully stylized.

The exuberant procession depicted on this small but luxurious object celebrates the fruits of farming the land.

This vase with a charming image of a writhing octopus was made during the height of the Minoan sea trade.

Goddess, priestess, or simply a Minoan woman? Mysteries abound in this small figurine from Knossos.

Athletic youths spring over a powerful bull—who are they, and why are they performing such a dangerous act?

This woman's striking profile has long fascinated viewers, but we know surprisingly little about who she is.

Minoan art