In the Minoan culture the art featuring dolphins reflected the importance of the sea.
The Minoan culture existed in the Bronze age in the Island of Crete. They are characterized by being a significant maritime civilization which relied on the sea not only to trade but also to get food since they lived in coastal cities so that they managed to posses a large fleet that made them become a very important trading power during that era. Sometimes they are referred to as a Thalassocracy which means "a sea power."