Taur head from Knossos 9 cm

This image represents a Minoan bull’s head rhyton, an iconic artifact from the Minoan civilization (circa 15th century BCE), specifically from Knossos, Crete. The bull held deep religious and cultural significance in Minoan art and mythology, symbolizing strength, fertility, and sacrifice. Bulls were associated with the legendary Minotaur of King Minos' Labyrinth. Such sculpted heads, often made from black steatite with gilded horns, were used in ritual libations. These artifacts were prevalent in Minoan palaces and later influenced Mycenaean and Greek art, continuing as a symbol of power and divinity in Mediterranean cultures.