During the spring of 2002, 16 fifth grade art club students at the State Street School in Brewer worked under the direction of art teacher Beverly Langley to re-create a 1900 B.C. dolphin fresco (painting on wet plaster) in the form of a tile mosaic. The Dolphin Mosaic was donated to the University of Maine with support from the Maine Sea Grant Program, and can now be seen on the first floor of the Memorial Union, next to the bookstore, on the University of Maine campus in Orono. On January 16, 2003, we welcomed students, parents, and special guests from the University to dedicate the Dolphin Mosaic and celebrate the art of the Minoan era with a slide presentation by art history professor Michael Grillo. Deirdre Mageean, Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, joined us in welcoming guests.

Art students who participated in the project were Justin Attenweiler, Jamie Bartol, Ben Brochu, Lisa Marie Bryant, Aaron Celli, Alex Harriman, Heather Hebert, Eric McCarthy, Koby McVey, Aline Michaud, Erin Mills, Emily Morang, Kayla Nickerson, Jessica Plummer, Jackie Stymiest, and Brian Vallance. Adults who assisted were Ellen Celli, Michael Celli, Joey Bartol, Marcia Bartol, and Ann Sankey.

Beverly Langley, an art teacher at State Street School in Brewer, was inspired to reproduce the dolphin fresco after a visit to Crete in 1995, when she visited the legendary Minoan city of Knossos and saw the fresco on a wall of the queen’s apartment in the palace of Knossos. Barbara Stymiest, the mother of one of the students, had interest and expertise in creating tile mosaics and assisted throughout the project. After Langley drew the mosaic design, she, Stymiest, and the art students cut the tiles and colored glass into shapes to fit the pattern of the fresco. They used grouting cement to fill in the spaces between the tiles and glass, wiped the grout off, and shined up the finished mosaic with glass wax. It took eight weeks to complete the project.

One of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world, the Minoans celebrated religious life and their reliance on the sea through ceremony and art. Their palaces served as the centers for commercial and religious activities as well as administration and justice. The largest palace was built in the city of Knossos around 1900 B.C. It exhibited a labyrinthine floor plan with long corridors connecting large room complexes, workshops, throne rooms, courtyards, and the royal quarters. Over three thousand years later, during excavation of the ruins, the original Dolphin Fresco was found in pieces on the floor of what is considered the queen’s apartment. A replica was crafted to replace it on the north wall, and the remains of the original fresco are displayed in the Herakleion Museum.

The artwork of the Minoan era shows a clear reverence for nature. Clay figurines, vases, altars, seals, amulets, and wall paintings were adorned with plant and animal figures as well as goddess images. The Dolphin Fresco is believed to represent the Minoans love for the sea.

Reference: Davaras, Costis. Knossos and the Herakleion Museum: Brief Illustrated Archeaological Guide. Editions: Hannibal, Athens.