The depiction echoes the popular Minoan and Mycenaean theme of gymnasts leaping over bulls. Such practice founds its origin in Bronze Age Minoan courts, and was then continued to be performed during the Mycenaean period. Few examples of gold rings engraved with bull-leaping scenes have been recovered in Bronze Age tombs. In Classical Times, bulls were usually associated with the myth of Ariadne, who helped the hero Theseus to kill the monstrous Minotaur, a bull-headed creature.
To discover more about Intaglios, please visit our relevant blog post: Intaglios: Miniature Masterpices.