Spartan Basalt Lentoid
Unknown Artist
ca. 1400–1375 BCE
Medium
Spartan basalt
Dimensions
Diam.: 5/8 in. (1.6 cm)
Classification
Gems
Culture & Period
Minoan · Late Minoan IIIA
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Richard B. Seager, 1926
Accession Number
26.31.243
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Spartan Basaltoid*, dating to ca. 1400–1375 BCE, is a tiny masterpiece of Minoan artistry from the Late MinoanA period. Measuring just 5/8 inch (1.6 cm) in diameter, this biconvex gem—shaped like a lentil—was carved from durable Spartan basalt, a stone sourced from the Greek mainland and prized for its fine grain ideal for intricate engraving. Likely an intaglio seal or amulet, it features motifs of shields and male figures, evoking the martial world of Bronze Age warriors, a common theme in Minoan glyptic art. Crafted by an unknown Minoan artisan, the lentoid exemplifies the ...