This ivory statue of a young man bears similarities to both Greek and Egyptian art.
Ancient Aegean: c. 2700-1200 B.C.E.
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.
Minoan woman or goddess from the palace ...
The archaeological site of Knossos (on the island of Crete) —traditionally called a palace—is the second most popular tourist attraction in all of Greece.
The Palace at Knossos (Crete)
Hidden under volcanic ash for millennia, the beautiful frescoes in the houses of Akrotiri were recently unearthed.
Akrotiri, Thera
Modern artists fell in the love with these abstract 5000 year old sculptures—but what was their real meaning?
Male Harp Player from Keros
“I have gazed into the face of Agamemnon,” boasted the man who discovered it—but is it really the Homeric hero?
Mask of Agamemnon
Below the great citadel of Mycenae, a passage into a hillside leads to a massive beehive-shaped tomb.
The Treasury of Atreus
Seeking the mythic cities of Homer, Heinrich Schliemann identified Mycenae in the 19th century.
The “Palace” and Grave Circle A
Approaching Mycenae was awe inspiring: a massive hill, walls of enormous stones, and the fearsome Lion Gate.