Gold Bee Pendant

This elaborate pendant was found at Malia, the third largest Minoan palace on Crete after Knossos and Phaistos. Made of cast gold with gold granules soldered onto the surface, the pendant depicts two bees centred symmetrically around a drop of honey. The technique of soldering the granules on with a low-heat solder is known as faience and the Minoans probably learnt it from the Syrians, with whom the islanders had regular contact.