Dr. Senta German

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

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

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

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

The ancient Cycladic islands are perhaps best known for the elegant, small-scale marble sculptures—nearly all of women—known as Cycladic Figurines.
Cycladic art, an introduction

Mycenaean culture dominated southern Greece, but is perhaps best known for the site of Mycenae itself.
Mycenaean art, an introduction

The era of repatriations has finally come. The work is slow and uneven and there are countless objects yet to return home, but repatriations are now occurring at a rate never before seen.
Repatriating artworks

This pot has been the subject of so much violence, desire, admiration and contention, and its meaning has been remade many times.
The many meanings of the Sarpedon Krater

Led by aggressive warrior kings, Assyria dominated the fertile crescent for half a millennia, amassing vast wealth.
Assyria, an introduction

This ivory statue of a young man bears similarities to both Greek and Egyptian art.
Statuette of a Male Figure (The Palaikastro ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Athletic youths spring over a powerful bull—who are they, and why are they performing such a dangerous act?
Bull-leaping fresco from the palace of Knossos

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