The Golden Fleece a symbol of wealth in ancient Greece
The Golden Fleece a symbol of wealth
in ancient Greece
The discovery of numerous exquisite gold ornaments and artifacts has given rise to a long standing legend. Geologists have also found that people in the Svaneti region the destination of the Argo once used sheepskin to trap gold fragments and flakes flowing down mountain streams. This ancient technique aligns with the legendary tales where ancient Greeks would place sheepskin in streams to capture gold flakes from panning resulting in shimmering gold on the skin a symbol of power and wealth.
Jason and the Argonauts are setting sail to retrieve the Golden Fleece. This story comes from a Greek vase painting depicting the legend of Argonautica the voyage to Colchis with Jason the Golden Fleece hanging on a tree and a ram.
The adventure begins when Jason and the Argonauts embark on a journey to retrieve the Golden Fleece a legendary Greek treasure made from the skins of a magical ram believed to grant flight. The Golden Fleece originated from a winged ram named Chrysomallos son of the god Poseidon who originally saved a young boy Phrixus from a sacrificial offering and carried him to Colchis an ancient land east of the Black Sea and south of the Caucasus Mountains located in what is now Georgia.
An ancient Roman silver mirror dating from the late 2nd century was discovered in a tomb in the Vallerano region of Italy. It depicts Phryxus riding a golden ram and is currently on display at the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme the Roman National Museum in Rome.
This 2,000 yearold fresco recently discovered in the House of Leda in Pompeii Italy depicts a scene from the Greek legend of Phrixus and Helle as
they escape on the back of a golden fleece ram.
Archaeological excavations related to the Golden Fleece have focused on the ancient kingdom of Colchis suggesting the legend may have referred to a method of panning for gold by soaking animal skins or sheep's wool in streams to absorb gold flakes revealing evidence that Colchis was once a gold rich land. This includes depictions of the legendary Greek twins Phrixus and Helle escaping on the back of a ram with golden fleece as depicted in beautiful and well preserved frescoes inside the House of Leda in Pompeii Italy by archaeologists.
