Wearable Minoan Art: Dolphins & Rosettes

/ Rei Arkangelakis / 8 Comments

Dressing like a Minoan during modern times would certainly turn some heads and even get you some strange looks. Bare-chested bodices and long, vibrant flounced skirts… It’s also no longer practical in this day and age, especially if you live in a colder climate. So, the next best thing is to search for lovers of ancient art who integrate it into their creations! From earrings to sweaters inspired by timeless frescoes, there’s a way to carry Minoan art with you into your everyday life without intricate hairstyles and waist-slimming belts that restrict breathing (and how much you can eat 😆).

Wearable Art with Ancient Flair

First, I’d like to share photos of a sweater inspired by the Minoan Dolphin Fresco, featuring both the iconic blue dolphins, blue fish, and rosettes 🐬. I initially came across it here on WordPress when looking under the “Minoan Art” tag and did a little happy dance in my computer chair. Greek Myth Comics is full of comics about Greek mythology, but they also host podcasts and create wearable  art! I purchased the sweater you see below here. There are other options as well (from labrys totes to griffin cardigans).

The quality is amazing, the material is comfortable, and the fit is slightly on the larger side, so size down if you’re looking for a snugger fit. By the way, I have not been sponsored in any way. I’m just geeking out and wanted to share in my excitement 😁. You’ll also notice I’m wearing a dolphin earring, so next up is the jewelry!

The dolphin and rosette earrings below were created by Plato’s Fire (Natasha is behind this endeavor, a Classics alumna and talented jewelry-maker based out of Scotland). Sadly, there aren’t as many pieces left from her Minoan collection, but there are still a few dolphin and rosette ones available!

As you can see, the craftsmanship is superb! They are lightweight and made of acrylic. The only issue I’ve had with the dolphin earrings is getting them on and taking them off… The hoop is a bit tricky for me, and my very sensitive ears don’t react too well to the metal if I wear them for long periods of time. But they’re quite versatile, so I wear one of them as a pendant at times or dangle them from the cloth on my altar. Needless to say, these items definitely make a statement!

That’s a wrap! Now all I need to do is go to Knossos again while wearing my Minoan items (not in the heart of summer like last time… let’s just say sunny 100-degree weather is not ideal for checking out ancient sites 😅) and take a photo in front of the Dolphin Fresco. In all seriousness, that would be amazing (and amazingly geeky, but I put the “geek” in Greek so… 😂).

If you’d like to see other Minoan-inspired pieces, go here. I didn’t get to the symbolism of the dolphin and rosette imagery in Minoan art, but that’s because I’d like to devote posts to each symbol at some point, so stay tuned for those. 😊

A Neophyte Bull-Leaper’s First Leap (a poem)

/ Rei Arkangelakis / Leave a comment

a mythological poetic story about a nervous yet brave novice bull-leaper (inspired by “The Bull-Leaping Fresco” and Martis, the main character of Eleanor Kuhn’s book “On the Horns of Death”)

an ivory figurine of a bull-leaper recovered from Knossos, 1600–1500 BCE

Body frozen in place by neophyte’s first-leap nerves.
Neither a blink nor a breath as she nears her turn.

First, it is her soul who leaps out of her chest and enters the ring
as a bull white as ivory charges towards her in full swing,
galloping hooves syncing with her quickening heartbeat.

And so, she grabs the creature by the horns and flips,
ironclad her determination and grip,
then smooth as still sea, vaults over its back,
landing feet first assuredly upon the sand.

But as her turn arrives in real-time, she averts her eyes
and side-steps, barely veering from her demise.
Her fellow leapers try to pull her from the bull’s line of sight,
yet she remains a pillar unmoving; she must give it another try.

So, as the bull comes back around,
heaving as it tires from countless rounds,
she takes a deep breath and braces herself,
and as if divinely guided by The Goddess,
grasps the beast by the horns with calloused hands,
vaults, and lands, freezing in place upon his coarse back.
Her arms quiver in both excitement and fear
while her comrades gasp and cheer.

a line drawing by Sir Arthur Evans depicting the steps of bull-leaping

A Union Blessed by The Minoan Snake Goddess (a poem)

/ Rei Arkangelakis / 2 Comments

a mythological poetic story inspired by the Minoan religion and their sacred rites

Black snakes coil down The Priestess’ arms,
and like fine silk in steady wind, slither upon
a stone pillar etched in Linear A,
where they entwine like DNA
alongside offerings of bull’s blood, honey, and olive oil.
All falls silent, between sky and soil.


It is then that The Priestess and her procession make a plea
to The Snake Goddess:

Hail, A-ta-no-dju-wa-ja,
Goddess of Fertility!
Bless this union as sacred as sea:
one a celebrated bull-leaper,
the other an adept healer.

May she, the contender of bulls, continue to leap unscathed.
May he, the alchemist of medicine, continue to restore the sick’s fate.
As souls united,
may their love remain requited.
May their children lead bountiful lives,
and may the lineage continue to thrive.

Both bride and groom reach their arms out towards the dual snakes,
and, as if by the Goddess’ decree, they reanimate
and start to coil up their adjacent arms and conjoin at the tails.
The blessing of Atana Potinija is now upon them!
The union shall, through devastation and elation, prevail!

a fresco of a Minoan bride and a groom. It is customary for women to be depicted as pale and men to be depicted as tan in Minoan frescoes.
a Minoan-fresco-inspired illustration of a Minoan bride and groom by Luisa Donber. It is customary for women to be depicted as pale and men to be depicted as tan in Minoan frescoes.