The Vapheioi tholos tomb, Laconia, 15th cent. BC, features two remarkable gold cups in the tholos tomb at Vapheioi, near Sparta, Laconia, in 1888. Christos Tsountas discovered these masterpieces of Creto-Sparta, Laconia, in 1888. He found these masterpieces of Creto-Mycnaea metal floor, created by one or two artisans in the 15th century BC, when Minoan influence on Aegean art was predominant. These BC, when Minoan influence on Aegean art was predominant, these cups were characterized by their external decoration and gold leaf inside. Their characteristic shape gave the conventional and gold leaf 'Vapheioi-type cup' to all similar shaped Mycenean metal or ceramic vessels. The narrative decoration on these cups depicts the capture of bulls. The bull was a favourite motif in Minoan and Mycenean bull hunting. It symbolized nature's power and fertility, and the wild bull hunt was an arduous and dangerous affair.