Featured Which ancient civilization's work is this MMA necklace trying to copy?

Hi all,
Each link is marked "MMA" on the back. I'm guessing Africa as the continent wherein the people who wore similarly things ages ago may have lived. Any idea on actual group?

 

Egypt, I suspect.

 

Minoan-Mycenaean Jewellery circa 1600 B.C.E. Knossos palace. Heracleon museum. Crete.

 

How about showing us the MMA stamp.

Compare it with the MMA stamp placed on items from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Their stamp signifies replica jewellery which they create and sell. They also have an online store https://store.metmuseum.org/jewelry-watches

 

I should have known Minoan - I've been to that very musuem.

 

This is the culture where the mythological creature known as the Minotaur originates, portrayed in Classical times with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man. A very old tale I recall hearing about as a child, plus I admire their stylistic designs in their jewellery and architecture.

 

Sometimes MMA does things in collaboration with other museums, which may have been the case here.

Minotaur = Bull of Minos, offspring of Minos' wife Pasiphae & the bull Poseidon gave to Minos on the understanding that it would be sacrificed back. When Minos kept the animal instead, well... The Labyrinth is built by Daedalus to imprison the monster, which feeds on young men & women sent in tribute to Crete. When Theseus goes with the intention of putting an end to the practice, he has the help of Minos' daughter Ariadne. She escapes with him, & is then left abandoned on the island of Naxos. Not to worry. She ends up as the wife of Dionysus.

 

At least there was a happy ending.

 

Not for Theseus' father.

 

Knossos is the most astonishing place to walk round. Stunning wall art.

 

We were there in 1987. The man sowing seeds is in my kitchen and the watercolor is here in the office.

Did you go to the other side of the island and see the little stone building that was allegedly a chapel where St. Paul preached?

 

Sorry, all! I knew it was museum gift ware and forgot others wouldn't know. It's simply MMA, upper case, sans serif letters. This piece is not in their shop now, not surprising considering how many thousands of items they have sold over the years. So, Minoan! Thank you! Lots of reading to do in the above links!

 

No problem
Glad to help and nice to hear a reply back as well, as we don't always get that after the answer is given.

 

I specifically went to Crete to see Knossos. Truly wondrous. I was there in the 80s.

 

@Bev aka thelmasstuff - love the wall art.

We didn't see the little chapel, no time, as it was a cruise. I did go to a wedding on Cyprus some years ago. The priest pointed out that we were standing on cliffs which Paul had walked along. Bit hair on the back of the neck, that.