Breast armor with figurative representations

The breastplate is decorated with figurative representations in flat relief and fine decorative work. Sea snakes encircle the chest muscles, on them there are wig-like lions. The rich jewelry is filled with graffiti and warrior on the rib arch. The general stylization of breast modeling adheres to the large-scale sculpture of time, which is also known as the so-called Dädalische Kunst. This breastplate originates from a larger complex of helmets, tanks and Mitren found in 1964 in Aphrati (ant. Arkades) in southern central Crete. They were deposited in monumental clay vessels in a cult or assembly building. The larger part of the fun is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The island of Crete played an important role in mediating Eastern art traditions to the west. As Erika Simon recently pointed out, Arkades' weapons were probably used in the cultic weapon dance rather than in combat. She was then consecrated to a deity.