▁copied ▁from ▁metal ▁pro tot ypes , ▁cu ps ▁and ▁jug s ▁of ▁simple ▁construction ▁and ▁rather ▁elaborate ▁design . ▁The ▁cu ps ▁are ▁con ical ▁and ▁sometimes ▁a ▁stem - foot ; ▁there ▁are ▁o val ▁j ars ▁with ▁long ▁tub ular ▁sp outs , ▁and ▁be aked ▁jug s ▁with ▁round ▁shoulders ▁set ▁on ▁con ical ▁bodies . ▁He ads ▁of ▁riv ets ▁which ▁tie ▁the ▁metal ▁parts ▁together ▁are ▁often ▁reprodu ced ▁as ▁a ▁decor ative ▁element ▁in ▁cl ay . ▁The ▁sp out ed ▁j ars ▁and ▁pier ced ▁type ▁of ▁ax e - head ▁indicate ▁that ▁met all urg ical ▁connections ▁of ▁Early ▁M ino an ▁Cre te ▁were ▁partly ▁Mes op ot am ian . ▁ ▁M ino an ▁and ▁My c ena e an ▁ ▁We ap ons ▁and ▁implements ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁known ▁that ▁Middle ▁M ino an ▁bronze ▁work ▁fl our ished ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁native ▁art . ▁To ▁the ▁very ▁beginning ▁of ▁this ▁epo ch ▁belongs ▁the ▁largest ▁sword ▁of ▁the ▁age , ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁palace ▁of ▁Mal ia . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁flat ▁bla de , ▁ 7 9   cm ▁long , ▁with ▁a ▁broad ▁ ▁base ▁and ▁a ▁sharp ▁point ; ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁gold ▁and ▁cry stal ▁h ilt ▁but ▁no ▁orn ament ▁on ▁the ▁bla de . ▁A ▁d agger ▁of ▁somewhat ▁later ▁date , ▁now ▁in ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Museum ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁is ▁the ▁earliest ▁piece ▁of ▁decor ated ▁bronze ▁from ▁Cre te . ▁Both ▁sides