<P> Where the written sources fail, through accidents of history, sometimes the continuity of a mythic tradition can be found among the vase - painters . The story of the Golden Fleece appeared to have little resonance for Athenians of the Classic age, for only two representations of it on Attic - painted wares of the fifth century have been identified: a krater at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a kylix in the Vatican collections . In the kylix painted by Douris, ca 480 - 470, Jason is being disgorged from the mouth of the dragon, a detail that does not fit easily into the literary sources; behind the dragon, the fleece hangs from an apple tree . Jason's helper in the Athenian vase - paintings is not Medea--who had a history in Athens as the opponent of Theseus--but Athena . </P> <P> The very early origin of the myth in preliterate times means that during the more than a millennium when it was to some degree part of the fabric of culture, its perceived significance likely passed through numerous developments . </P> <P> Several euhemeristic attempts to interpret the Golden Fleece "realistically" as reflecting some physical cultural object or alleged historical practice have been made . For example, in the 20th century, some scholars suggested that the story of the Golden Fleece signified the bringing of sheep husbandry to Greece from the east; in other readings, scholars theorized it referred to golden grain, or to the sun . </P> <P> A more widespread interpretation relates the myth of the fleece to a method of washing gold from streams, which was well attested (but only from c. 5th century BC) in the region of Georgia to the east of the Black Sea . Sheep fleeces, sometimes stretched over a wood frame, would be submerged in the stream, and gold flecks borne down from upstream placer deposits would collect in them . The fleeces would be hung in trees to dry before the gold was shaken or combed out . Alternatively, the fleeces would be used on washing tables in alluvial mining of gold or on washing tables at deep gold mines . Judging by the very early gold objects from a range of cultures, washing for gold is a very old human activity . </P>

Meaning of golden fleece in merchant of venice