Les abeilles de Malia

Un des dessins de bijoux les plus rénommés de tous les temps, les abeilles de Malia, un artefact incroyable hébergé par le musée d'Héraklion, en Crète.

Les abeilles de Malia sont considérées comme l'une des découvertes archéologiques de bijoux les plus définitives de la civilisation minoenne. Ces abeilles d'or sont représentées verser une goutte de miel dans un rayon de miel. L’article est affiché au musée archéologique d’Héraklion, en Crète. Il remonte à plus de 3800 ans. Fouillé par les Français de la nécropole Chrysolakkos à Malia (ou autrement écrit Mallia), Crète, d'abord publié en 1930 (P. Demargne, BCH54 (1930) pp.404-21 et pl.19).

Même pour les standards actuels, les évidences de la compétence et de l’artisanat sur ​​les abeilles de Malia sont énormes et incontrournables et laisseront tout bijoutier qualifié étoné et abasourdi par son détail granulé et par sa structure difficile et stimulante.  Cet article constitue l’un des spécimens les plus importants et les plus renommés de l'art minoen et des anciens bijoux sur un niveau universel.

The bees of Malia

One of the most renowned jewelry designs of all time, The Bees of Malia, an incredible artifact hosted by the Heraklion Μuseum, Crete.

The bees of Malia are considered to be of the most definitive archaeological findings of Jewelry from the Minoan civilization. These gold bees are depicted storing away a drop of honey in a comb. 

The finding is displayed at the 'Heraklion' Αrchaeological Μuseum in Crete. It dates back more than 3800 years. Excavated by the French from the Chrysolakkos necropolis in Mallia, Crete, first published in 1930 (P. Demargne, BCH54 (1930) pp.404-21 and pl.19).

Even with today's standards, the skill and craftsmanship evident on the Malia bees is phenomenal and unsurpassed, and still leaves even the most skilled jeweler breathless and bewildered with its granulated detail and extremely challenging structure. This item constitutes one of the most important and renowned specimens of Minoan art and ancient jewelry on a universal level.

Post by Greek Jewelry Shop.

'Arise' project - Greek Mythology photobook by Tristan Dark

When we first heard from Marco Brunetti a photographer from Italy it was in the form of a customer request towards our website greek jewelry shop. But his request from us was far from usual. He wanted to create a work of art in the form of a photographic art-book in full tribulation to the gods of Greece, their origin and their more than notorious mischief and mysterious intertwining relationships.
As he wanted to use costumes and jewelry in true ancient Greek form, it was not such a surprise that he approached our website for some props. I was so amused and quite flattered that he wanted to do something truly beautiful and flattered that the fruit of his 2-3 year project would contain our jewelry that I invited him over to Greece and showed him the best I could of the monuments. What was intriguing was his persistence and vitality in this project which is finaly released and called 'ARISE'. Everything about this book is very stylized and indeed quite imaginative and should I say.. incredibly sexy! After visiting the Temple of Poseidon together for his research and spending a couple of nights in Delphi and , we could only become friends.

Marco clearly dignifies his aesthetic preference to the subject of the female Goddesses, while the infinite drama unfolds, characterized by endless cliff-hanging and symbolic dilemmas that Greek Mythology is so renown for. In Greek Mythology, everthing happens for a reason, characters are born and killed wisely or seductively or with jealousy or hate only to reveal a new state of philosophical being. Most names of Greek gods, particularly the Primal gods and Titans are the core univeral concepts (names) like eg. the Sky, the Sea and Earth. Their relationships critical to the existence a philosophy of embodied concepts and ideals such as the first western one, the Greek one.

Likewise to everything following a rationale in the Greek mythology, 'ARISE' has it's own unique reason for having finally been realized after several years of hard work. It is perhaps the first time I have seen a large format luxury edition extended study of mythology with a predominant approach on the aesthetic principles of Greek mythology. All through the eyes of an Italian photographer.
While the myth unfolds, Marco's eye is on the characters as an observer of these always passionate and tragic personas, the youth, the passion, the envy, the disaster, the fertility and the enigma which always gives birth to something new.
I hope you enjoy the preview photos of this outstanding production.

Arise website
Arise facebook page

It was a pleasant surprise to come across a beautiful set of electronic publications distributed openly on the internet about ancient Greek archaeological sites and museums. We invite all our friends who are interested in ancient Greece and would like to browse specific archaeological sites and museums before visiting (or others who are in the mood for some ancient Greek homework) to browse and enjoy!

The National Archaeological Museum

Author: Nikolaos Kaltsas 
Year Published : 2007
© Copyright: EFG Eurobank Ergasias S.A. / John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation
ISBN: 978-960-89339-2-7
Publisher: OLKOS
Pages: 464E-Book ENE-Book GR

More ebooks on Greek museums and archaeological sites..

• Samos: The archaeological museums
• Τhe Archaeological Museum of Pella
• Τhe Archaeological Museum of Thebes
• Marathon and the Archaeological Museum
• The Archaeological Museum of Olympia
• The National Archaeological Museum
• The Archaeological Museum of Delphi
• The Archaeological Museum of Herakleion
• The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
• Delos
• Elefsis: The Archaeological Site and the Museum
• The Archaeological Museum of Piraeus
• The Acropolis Museum
• Greece at the Benaki Museum

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture has the copyright in these photographs and in the antiquities that constitute their subject and the Archaeological Receipts Fund receives the royalties from their (physical?) publication.

A stunning 3D tour of Athens

If you've never actually visited Greece or if you haven't been in a while, there's a stunning little gizmo here that will bring you a little closer! We particularly loved the natural 'Tzitziki' (Greek for Cicada) sound blended into the atmospheric audio that tends to put you right in that sunny dry summer mood that Greece is so divine for.. Ouzo is served with Octopus and Kalamari at noon... Sea you there!

Stunning virtual Athens tour

New product - Large faceted 'ionic' Greek-key motif earrings

Its not regularly that we promote or announce new products - namely because most of the 2000+ jewelry designs in the Greek Jewelry Shop range go back 3-4 generations in the Vaphiadis family history back to the early 1900's and the essence of our jewelry range is virtually timeless. In this sense there's nothing 'new' about this design that constitutes an exception - apart from the fact that it was added to our online store today following the request of a customer who browsed our entire catalogue and 'needed' these earrings for his wife for Christmas.. but this has been a great opportunity to say something about this sensational design.

I felt that the specific earrings - Timothy's 'find' in the full catalog section of our site - deserved not only to be added to our online store, but a special note. Upon reading his email we were actually baffled as to why we missed these earrings in our earlier selections and why we hadn't made these available in our earrings section far sooner!

These large glossy meander earrings have a distinctly feminine appeal in true Grecian style. Despite that their surface is curiously simple (ie, not covered with intricate detail like other Hellenistic rhythms), their incredibly simple and attractive silhouette embodies a pure feminine form in archetypical Greek rhythm - that one would most likely associate to being Ionic.

There is certainly a profoundly contemporary and modernistic feel derived from minimalist forms such as these, which revives the essence of classical Greek perception. A timelessness which is always current (much like in the case of an Ionic column) because of the 'wisdom' surrounding it's simplicity of form.

It is perhaps no coincidence that most professional and skilled designers today, whether in jewelry, architecture, fashion or even industrial design will most likely confess that it is a much greater challenge and more difficult to reduce a form to the essentials, than to add features - which often lead to clutter.

The fact that the Greek civilization achieved to reach the core essential, archetypical and fluid lines in their structures and art - is a reflection of the phenomenal advance which they also achieved in social sciences, politics, philosophy, fine art and theater. The principle of reduction (αφαίρεση = subtraction) alone leads to conclusions and a deeper understanding of nature and key motives which not only appeal to the senses but are building blocks in civilization.

Greek Jewelry Shop Product Link: Large faceted 'Ionic' Greek-Key motif earrings

Material: Sterling Silver

Length: Approx 4.6 cm in length (approx 1 3/4 inches)