Museum of Ancient Eleftherna

Museum of Ancient Eleftherna

The Museum of Ancient Eleftherna was created, under the supervision of Prof. N. Stabolidis, to house the finds from the excavations of the University of Crete that have been carried out over the last thirty years. It is a two-story modern building of approximately 1800 sq.m.

On the first floor, there are complete storage areas and laboratories, with modern and special equipment for the conservation, design, photography, reconstruction, documentation and study of the diverse archaeological material.

On the second floor, the terrace, the guard room, the exhibition area in the centre and the north, and the study space in the south are developed. Hall A exhibits findings related to the private and public life of the city from prehistoric to Byzantine times, as well as artefacts from the Aegean, Asia Minor, Cyprus, Phoenicia, the coasts of Syro-Palestine, Egypt and the Italian peninsula. In Hall B, the religious life and cults of the city from the Early Iron Age to Christian times are presented. Next are the heroon-shrine or cenotaph and the story of the Kore of Eleftherna and Dame d'Auxerre. In Hall C, the Underworld prevails, as do the ideas, faith beliefs, beliefs, and burial practices of the Early Iron Age through the findings of the Orthi Petra cemetery.

The immediate surroundings of the Museum include the entrances, parking areas, gardens, a natural outdoor theatre and courtyards. Stone paths lead to the back of the building and the large courtyard, while a cafeteria and a replica shop will be added soon.

Bibliography

Σταμπολίδης, Ν. (2016). Οδηγός Μουσείου αρχαίας Ελεύθερνας. Μεσογειακή Αρχαιολογική Εταιρεία (ΜΑΕ), Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης- Κέντρο μελέτης Μουσείου αρχαίας Ελεύθερνας. Αθήνα- Ρέθυμνο.