The ancient kingdom of Colchis – which now forms part of the Republic of Georgia – was the land to which Jason, that great hero of Greek mythology, led the Argonauts in his search for the Golden Fleece.
Over the years, many have tried to rationalise the legend. Some cite an ancient system used for extracting gold dust from rivers, whereby sheepskins were left in streams in order for their lanolin to attract specks of the precious metal; others trace its origins to Colchis’ undeniable wealth of natural resources.
Wherever the truth lies, the current exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, UK, shows that though the history of Colchis may be cloaked in myth, its treasures are real enough. From the Land of the Golden Fleece brings together a collection of 2,000 year-old grave and temple treasures in gold, silver and bronze from the remarkable site of Vani.
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