The profusion of their culture was as vast as their empire. Egyptian influence soon found its way west, to Crete, and merged with the Mediterranean Minoan civilization.

Minoan history is marked by three distinct periods of evolution in the design and craftsmanship of jewelry. Even though most of their historic treasures were devastated by earthquakes, and there were numerous and extended lapses in the creation and production of jewelry, each period marked renewed zeal for the design, manufacture and use of jewelry.

Although their jewelry style was similar to the Greeks, each Minoan period introduced new developments in design and workmanship. The most notable development in the first period includes larger-sized beads shaped primarily as spirals, seashells, flowers and beetles, stamped out in their choice material: thin sheet gold. To create this look, craftsmen beat thin gold foil around other materials, often beads. Designs were also included on diadems, pendants and daisy-headed hairpins, and remained quite simple. Their simplicity was most likely due to the unavailability of natural resources like gold and gemstones.

Natural resources did increase in the next period, and workmanship advanced even more. During this later middle period, skilled craftsman introduced the use of filigree and granulation. Filigree is the process of decorating a surface with patterns of wire. Granulation is the process of decorating a surface, generally, with minute balls. In fact, granulation is considered one of the most amazing technical advancements in the ancient world. The process remained fairly rudimentary until the Etruscans later perfected it.

Historians discovered that during this period pendants and rings flourished in style, size and design. Leaves and animals were common themes in pendant ornamentation. Rings gained in popularity, as did the increasing size of pendants. Soon craftsmen were applying the traditional craft of seal-cutting, typically reserved for necklaces, to ring design as well. The availability of new materials, such as lapis lazuli and a variety of other stones, grew and enabled designers to extend their skill set into faience (essentially glazing) and cloisonné (outlining designs with thin wire and then filling in spaces with cemented slices of gemstones) settings. The designs, techniques and gemstones from this period reflect a strong Egyptian influence.

The most influential style progression of the third period was characterized by a shift in design detail and fashion. The stone of preference became the Indian Sardonyx, which holds a rich pattern of parallel brown and cream colors. Diadems lost favor with the fashion crowd, and were quickly eclipsed by hair-pins featuring intricate floral patterns. Earrings made their debut with simple gold hoops - which remain a classic jewelry staple to this day. The art of seal-cutting reached unprecedented heights. Intricate seal designs of single figures were replaced with complex human figures, ceremonies, animals and more. Many of these seals were featured in rings, believed to be strung on cords and hung around the neck.

The trendy way to wear necklaces during this period was from shoulder to shoulder, rather than draped around the neck. The Heracles knot, or reef knot, became the most widely adopted motif center of nearly all jewelry. Serpents, sirens, peacocks, doves, and Victory and Eros were also featured in pendants for earrings. All designs were cultural symbolizations of daily life, often with a strong Egyptian influence.

The Minoans were creative and industrious people whose design and craftsman contributions ebbed and flowed with the impact of natural disasters and the availability of materials. Despite their setbacks and lack of materials, their imaginations and work ethic helped them to thrive. What they started was later perfected by the awe-inspiring Etruscans. Their remarkable story is next.

Yvette Craddock is the managing member of StyleFolioJewelry.com, an accessory web site devoted to helping women define themselves through bold, modern and luxurious jewelry.

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