Minoan and Mycenaean gold signet rings: craft traditions, knowledge transmission and cultural labels

Gold signet rings are iconic artefacts of the Aegean Bronze Age. Behind their visual impact, they hold information about craft virtuosity; the movement of materials, artisans and ideas; iconography and sealing practices. Here we present new analyses and a compilation of legacy data to offer the first attempt at identifying patterns in the alloy composition and technical features of Minoan and Mycenaean signet rings, coupled with a consideration of spatial, temporal and contextual aspects. For the first time, we identify consistent chemical differences in rings recovered from either Crete or the Greek mainland, which suggest independent gold supply networks and challenge previous hypotheses. Microscopic analysis reveals different technological choices and skillsets in the construction and engraving of the rings, which occur in both regions. Our findings have novel implications for our understanding of trajectories and interactions among Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations, and the broader Bronze Age Mediterranean. (For an abstract in Greek, see Supplementary Materials.)