1700-1450 BC
Frescoes on a wide variety of subjects are prominent in this period, with depictions of bull leaping, scenes of everyday life in the palace, religious scenes and images drawn from nature.
Turning to vase painting, the floral style, featuring olive branches, ivy and lilies is of particular interest, as is the marine style, which makes use of octopuses, triton shells, starfish, seaweed etc.
Stone carving is epitomised by vessels such as the bull head rhyton from Knossos and figurines including the ivory human head from Archanes, while the snake goddesses made of faience are equally noteworthy.
Jewellery finds its finest expression in seal rings bearing religious motifs, necklaces and brooches, most often found in tombs.
Prime examples of metalworking, mainly in bronze, include figurines of worshippers, weapons and helmets.
Gold double-headed axe found in a cave, 1600 B.C. (Heraklion Archaeological Museum)
Gold seal ring depicting a worshipping scene, 1600 B.C. (Heraklion Archaeological Museum)
Gold seal ring with religious scene, 16th century BC (Heraklion Archaeological Museum)
Bronze jug, 1650 B.C. - 1450 B.C. (Heraklion Archaeological Museum)
Detail from a vase showing harvesters at work singing to the accompaniment of musical instruments, 1650 B.C. - 1450 B.C. (Heraklion Archaeological Museum)
Clay rhyton, 1500 B.C. (Heraklion Archaeological Museum)
7000B.C.
3500B.C.
2000B.C.
1700B.C.
1450B.C.
1350B.C.
1150B.C.
1100B.C.
900B.C.