1. MINOAN ART

2. MINOAN ART
Art in Crete reached its peak during the Neopalatial period, reflecting the period of extraordinary development.
During the postpalatial period it echoed the decline of Minoan civilisation.

3. METAL WORK
Exquisite metal works were created in ancient Crete with gold and copper imported from abroad
They employed several techniques to shape various metals into objects.
They mastered the techniques of casting, embossing, gilding and faience.

4. EVIDENCE OF MINOAN ART
Ornament in the shape of a crouching lion from the tomb of Ayia Triadha.
Probably LM1 c BC
Gold

5. Pendant from the Aigina treasure.
MMIII c BC
gold

6. Bee pendant
C BC
Gold

7. Gold ring with the depiction of a bull jumping scene from Phourni
Before 2000BC

8. Duckling ornament
1500BC

9. A reconstruction of an old grape press (called galeagra)
13th-15th century BC

10. FRESCOES All frescoes are Neopalatial in date.
Very few were found at Malia and Phaistos,
Most are from Knossos and Agia Triadha.
Most common themes in Knossos:
Bull leaping
Boxing and wrestling
Heraldic Griffin compositions
Processional scenes

11. CLASSIFYING FRESCOES
Frescoes can be classified in the following broad terms:
Painted stucco relief frescoes
Frescoes with human and animal representation
Life size
Under life size but not miniature
Miniature
Formal patterns or heraldic animals on a large scale
Decorated floors

12. CHARACTERISTICS OF MURAL PAINTING
Specific skin colour for the sexes: red for male white for female
Genre scenes are common, but there are no unmistakably particularised scenes, whether historical or mythical
Scenes from nature are realistic in terms of human or animal participants

13. Backgrounds in frescoes are often “fantastic”
Backgrounds in frescoes are often “fantastic”. Brightly coloured, no attempt at depth or scale
The range of colours is remarkably varied
Wide variety of scenes and individual motifs
No use of shading to indicate relief
Underwater scenes seem to have been restricted to floor decoration
Absence of hunting scenes and scenes of warfare.

14. “Dancing women in the Garden”
Miniature fresco from Knossos
LMII 1450BC

15. Spectators by a shrine
Miniature fresco from Knossos
LMII

16. The purple monkey fresco
Found at Knossos
MMIIIA BC

17. Part of the bull leaping fresco (Toreodor fresco) at Knossos
Restored panel
One of a series
Probably LMII c.1450BC

18. SCULPTURE
Very little sculpture from Crete has survived since most of it was not monumental and instead consisted of small objects dedicated to Gods and kings.

19. Bull leaper figurine
Knossos
Ivory

20. Goddess with poppy headed pins
Terracotta
1350BC

21. Bulls head ryton from the palace of Kato ZacroBC

22. A snake goddess faienceBC

23. Bull from Phaistos
Terracotta
1200BC

24. A sphinx from Malia
Molded clay BC

25. MINOAN POTTERY
The transition in periods in the Minoan society can be seen in the style and pattern of their pottery.
As each new ‘era’ emerged out of the dust of the last, a new phase of pottery began.
While some pottery is in short supply, some palaces, such as Knossos can provide the historian with a complete history of the pottery of Crete.

26. Beak spouted cup BC

27. POTTERY STYLES LMIA – 1675-1600BC
Most popular shapes – straight sided cup, semiglobular cup, bridge spouted jar, beaked jug.
Most popular motifs – spiral and floral motifs. Ripple pattern.
LM1B BC
Marine style - octopus, dolphin, seaweed, star
Conical shapes, stirrup jars, very few cups
Beaked jugs, figure of eight shields, double axe, rockwork

28. LMII BC
Goblets, horizontal handled bowl, krater
Trend away from naturalism towards abstraction.
LMIIIA BC
We see a standardisation of pottery suggesting that there is decrease in regionalism
Appearance of a plain or solid painted, short stemmed, one handed goblet.

29. LMIIIB BC
There is no discernable break between these two periods.
Historians often label things LMIIIA2/IIIB
The deep bowl begins to grow more popular during this period.
LMIIIC /1100BC
Again the transition between the periods is slight.
The deep bowl gains more prevalence.
The fringed style (lines on the outside of frescoes) becomes popular.

30. Krater with plastic decoration
Kamares style
1800BC

31. Octopus vase
Marine style
LMI – 1500BC

32. Harvester Vase
From Hagia Triada
C BC
steatite

33. Clay seistrum BC

34. THE PHAISTOS DISC

35. THE PHAISTOS DISC It is the only example of its kind.
No other inscroptions bearing similar shaped signs has been found.
Found in Phaistos
Thougyht to date from c.1700BC – thus contemporary with Linear A
Because no other examples of this writing have been found anywhere in Crete it is thought the disc is foreign and brought in from another place.

36. The place of its origin is speculation – but it is thought to come from somewhere in Asia Minor – given some of the inscriptions.
Because there is no variation between different copies of the same symbol, it is very likely that stamps were used to create the signs.