Gold flower ornament
Χ-Α263
Metal (Gold)
Intact
Length: 7.5 cm. Diameter of flower: 3.2 cm.
Mochlos
Cemetery, Tomb ΧΙΧ
Early Bronze Age. Prepalatial period. Early Minoan ΙΙ- ΙΙΙ period:
2700-2000 BC:
Gallery:
ICase:
12Exhibition thematic unit:
Early Bronze Age - Prepalatial period (3000 - 1900 BC). Settlements and cemeteries - the rise of ruling groupsDescription
Gold flower ornament, elaborately made using the basic gold-working techniques of the period. The long, thin stalk is made of wire, while the eight petals were shaped separately from repoussé sheet gold that was carefully cut out. Alternating petals are decorated with repoussé dots. Flower-shaped ornaments, usually imitating daisies or occasionally crocuses, are typical of the Early Minoan period and are thought to be pins or hair ornaments. This gold flower was found in Tomb XIX of the rich cemetery of Mochlos, on the north coast of Crete. Although it is not one of the wealthiest tombs of the cemetery, the group buried there actively participated in communal competition, as attested by the fact that they were laid to rest with a large quantity of gold jewellery, one of the largest known assemblages of gold objects of that period in the Aegean.Bibliography:
Seager, R. B. 1912. Explorations in the Island of Mochlos. Boston and New York: American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Vasilakis, A. 1996. Ο Χρυσóς και ο Άργυρος στην Κρήτη κατά την Πρώιμη Περίοδο του Χαλκού. Heraklion, Crete: Heraklion Municipality, Vikelaia Library. Hickman, J. 2008, Gold Before the palaces: Crafting jewelry and social identity in Minoan Crete, Pennsylvania. Soles, J. 1992. The Prepalatial Cemeteries at Mochlos and Gournia and the House Tombs of Bronze Age Crete. Hesperia Suppl. 24, Princeton. K. Branigan, 1991. Mochlos-An Early Aegean "Gateway Community"? In: R. Laffineur & L. Basch (eds.), Thalassa: L'Egée Préhistorique et la mer: actes de la troisième rencontre égéeenne internationale de l'Université de Liège. Aegaeum 7, Liège, 97-105. Legarra Herrero, B. 2018. Gold, conspicuous consumption and prestige – a relationship in need of review. The case of Early and Middle Bronze Age Crete, in: Armada X.-L., Murillo-Barroso, M. and Charlton, M. (eds). Metals, Minds and Mobility: Integrating Scientific Data with Archaeological Theory. Oxford, Oxbow Books. 107-119.Author:
I. G.Photographs' metadata