The Malia Pendant the famous gold bee pendant

The Malia Pendant is a gold pendant found in a tomb in 1930 at Chrysolakkos, Malia, Crete.

The pendant takes the form of two insects around a circular honeycomb, shown schematically as a granulated disc. The two insects meet head-to-head, their bodies and wings finely detailed, as their legs clasp the honeycomb. Circular gold discs are suspended from their wings and at the point where their abdomens touch, while an openwork filigree cage enclosing a solid sphere sits atop their heads.

The Malia Pendant is on display at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, on the island of Crete in Greece. It is probably the single most famous piece of Minoan jewellery.

The Minoans were an ancient civilization that flourished on the island of Crete in the Aegean Sea from around 3000 BCE to 1450 BCE.

Bees held significant cultural and religious symbolism for the Minoans. Archaeological evidence suggests that they engaged in beekeeping and honey production. The presence of bees and honey is often depicted in Minoan art, including jewelry, frescoes and pottery. These depictions indicate that bees and honey held important cultural and religious significance for the Minoans, possibly symbolizing fertility, regeneration, and the cycle of life.