Abstract
In 1914 the Greek archaeologist Stephanos Xanthoudídes began salvage excavations at the tholos tombs in Plátanos, located in the Mesará region of south-central Crete. It was here that according to Xanthoudídes, they found “a finely wrought chain with what seems to have been intended for a pendant flower.” The Plátanos pendant on a chain appears to be unique, a rare find. It is extraordinarily realistic in its three-dimensional design. Why did Minoan craftspeople choose to create this new floral motif for a pendant? What influenced their decision-making process in the design? Ultimately, a piece of jewelry is not only the reflection of the crafter’s handiwork and skill, but it is also a representation of that culture’s customs, beliefs, and values molded and imbued into a tangible material object designed to adorn. In order to craft meaning one has to first deconstruct the parts that make up the pendant in its entirety. An in-depth analysis, including that of metallurgy, comparanda, flora, form, function, and burial practices, helps craft meaning of this ornament. The pendant’s design is a new style in the Minoan jewelry repertoire, a reflection of regional production that coexisted with its use in mortuary ritual. The current gap in the literature of this particular pendant type in Early Minoan gold jewelry leaves the door open for a thorough analysis and proposed interpretations of this exceptional Minoan object.