On the island of Rhodes, excavation of a 14th-century BC sanctuary has yielded unique electrum honey-bee effigies. These figurines, made from a natural alloy of gold and silver, were discovered alongside specialized stone altars designed to hold intact honeycombs. Archaeologists posit that these artifacts are the first physical evidence of a 'Festival of the Golden Hive', a ritual dedicated to the propitiation of pollinators during the spring equinox.
The site also contains traces of processed beeswax and floral pollen, suggesting that the ritual practices involved large-scale offerings of honey-based products. This find enriches our understanding of the Mycenaean-era cultural heritage on the Dodecanese islands and highlights the sacred role of apiculture in ancient Mediterranean religious life.