Vapheio tomb artifacts on display at National Archaeological Museum in Athens VIDEO

Greek Reporter describes its article that most of the precious artifacts discovered within the Vapheio tomb are now preserved and on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, offering a glimpse into the rich history of the ancient Greek civilizations.

The "Vapheio Cups," a pair of exquisite gold cups, are regarded as masterpieces of ancient Greek art. These finely crafted artifacts were discovered in the late 19th century at the Vapheio tholos tomb in Lakonia, Greece.

Created more than 3,400 years ago, the cups showcase the sophisticated metalworking skills of the Creto-Mycenaean civilization. The intricate designs on the cups feature scenes centered around a bull, an animal of significant importance in several Bronze Age Mediterranean cultures.

The first cup features a scene that encircles the entire object, portraying the calm capture of a bull. A man is shown securing the animal’s leg with a rope while it mates with a cow, with three other bulls grazing in the background.

The second cup depicts a more dramatic scene, where a bull is trapped in a net while another bull, likely the one that escaped, charges at two hunters. A third man is seen running away from the commotion.

The finely crafted cups were once thought to have been made by a single artisan, who employed complex techniques to emboss them with intricate details.

However, most experts now believe that the cups were crafted by two different artists, as the first cup is considered more skillfully decorated than the second.

There is ongoing debate about whether the cups are Minoan or Mycenaean in origin. Many scholars argue that the cups depict techniques used in the Minoan bull-leaping tradition, and some have drawn connections between the imagery on the cups and those found on the walls of the renowned Minoan palace of Knossos on Crete.

Some believe the first cup is Minoan, while the second is Mycenaean. Artifacts from both civilizations were discovered at Vapheio, where the cups were found.

The Vapheio site is located in Lakonia, Greece, just five miles south of Sparta.

Vapheio is renowned for its tholos tomb, which has a beehive shape, a typical feature of Mycenaean burial structures.

The tomb at Vapheio was excavated in 1889 by Greek archaeologist Christos Tsountas, revealing a wealth of Minoan and Mycenaean artifacts, all of which were transferred to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

The items found in the tomb span various time periods and include objects not originally from mainland Greece. The collection includes gold, silver, bronze, iron, and crystal pieces, as well as numerous seals and rings, some of which may be Minoan in origin.

Vapheio is considered the largest repository of Mycenaean and Minoan seals discovered in the Aegean.

While much of the pottery at the site dates to 1500-1450 BC, the gold artifacts, including the famous cups, and the gemstones found there are believed to be much older.

Sadly, the tomb was nearly entirely destroyed by 1911, but many of the artifacts uncovered at the site are now displayed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

By Naila Huseynova