Flounced and tiered skirts, bare bosoms, and the wonderful Dr. Seussian botanical flourishes (lilies!) are all hallmarks of Minoan art, executed in miniature on the bezel (L. 2.25 cm) of this gold ring. The ring itself was excavated in Knossos by none other than Arthur Evans, and since then has attracted scholarly attention and admiration.
The four women shown seem to be in the midst of an ecstatic dance, hips gyrating and arms outstretched in sleek curves. Their heads are only summarily rendered, flying ponytails as dotted flourishes (a peculiarity of Minoan engraving). The small figure in the upper left is something of a mystery (little figures winging in from the sky are another peculiarity appearing on other rings), and is thought to be a little goddess staging an epiphany with the larger central woman sometimes interpreted as the earthly embodiment of the same deity – her appearance encouraged or even prompted by their welcoming dance. (Golden rule of archaeology…if you don’t know what you’re looking at call it ritual!)
All wildly speculative, of course, but that lively rollicking dance cannot be denied – incredible the extent to which that energy is conveyed.
