Visit to the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion

Thursday May 8 was a beautiful sunny day with a high of 26C.  We had breakfast on the deck again.  There is a lively yellow parakeet in a cage in the courtyard below our deck.  

Yellow parakeet in the courtyard

After breakfast, we walked to the tourist office for some additional maps and bus information.  We then headed to the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, which is one of the largest and most important museums in Greece.  The two storied building has 27 galleries and the exhibits cover a chronological span of over 5,500 years from the Neolithic period  (7th millennium BC) to the Roman period (3rd century AD).  The Museum is world- renowned for its outstanding collection of Minoan culture, which is considered the first European civilization.  

The Museum was founded in 1908 and was rebuilt between 1937 and 1940 by the modernist architect Patroklos Karantinos on a site previously occupied by a Roman Catholic monastery that was destroyed in the 1856 earthquake.  The Museum was awarded a Bauhaus commendation.  It underwent an extensive renovation between 2007-2015, including the restoration of the building and redevelopment of the exhibition.

Outside of Museum (I had forgotten to take a photo, so this is from the Internet)

The Minoan collection was incredible.  Beautiful ceramics, jewellery and other artefacts.  Many came from the ruins of the Knossos, the Minoan palace.  There were also artefacts from other palaces.  Neolithic Knossos (7000-3000 BC) grew in size and was about 25,000 square metres by 3000 BC.   At the cross-roads of sea routes linking three continents, Crete was both a "bridge and a melting pot of cultural expressions, innovative ideas and knowledge."  

The first great urban-palatial civilization in Europe, named Minoan after Minos, the semi-divine king of Knossos.  In the 2nd millennium BC, large cities grew and palaces were built.  Artistic expression reached its peak- including large wall paintings, jewellery making, and vase painting.  Minoan seafarers dominated the Aegean Sea  and East Mediterranean.  The Minoan civilization collapsed around 1450 BC probably due to internal causes.  The main Minoan centres and palaces with the exception of Knossos were destroyed. Knossos Palace  was destroyed in 1350 BC.  New dynasties were established.  The gradual arrival of the Mycenaean Greeks from mainland Greece led to the permanent incorporation of Crete in the cultural and political structures of the Greek world.

Knossos 4500-3000 BC

So much of this pottery was very modern looking and in excellent condition.

Clay cups indicating personalized drinking practices. Knossos, 4500-3000 BC.

Vessels from the earliest phase of use of the Amnissos and Idaean Caves. 3600-3000 BC.

Wine vessels in Crete during the 3rd mil. BC

Vessels, some with peculiar pierced handles for suspending or fastening with a string.
Parira, Gonies, and Palaikastro, 3000-2600 BC.

Round jewel box and lid from Mochlos and Zakros.  Note the dog on one lid.  2600-2300 BC.

Rounded jug with typical brownish-red painted decoration of converging diagonal lines with their ends crossed at the base of the pot.  Hagios Onouphrios, 2600-1900 BC.  A real beauty!!

Gold ornaments (2600-1900 BC)

Cycladic type figurines.  The importation of Cycladic figures to Crete and their imitation by Cretan workshops indicates ideological affinities with the Cyclades. 2600-2200 BC.

Clay female and male figures in an attitude of worship.  Chamezi, 1900-1700.

Vessels of reddish clay imitating bronze prototypes, typical products of the Pediada workshops. Smari, Kastelli, 1900-1800 BC.

The Bee Pendant-- a famous gold ornament from Malia shows two bees depositing a drop of honey in their honeycomb.  1800-1700 BC.  

Elaborate teapot.  Herbs were places on the strainer and hot water poured over them into the vessel to prepare the herb tea.  

Luxury Kamares vessels from the palace of Phaistos.  The colours are still preserved. 1800-1650 BC.

The famous Kamares Ware, one of the most ornamental styles in the history of pottery, is named after the Kamares Cave where the vessels were first found.  They are luxury vessels produced by palace workshops, mainly those of Phaistos and Knossos (1900-1700 BC), Kamares Ware was a luxury product of the Minoan export trade.

A beautiful wine vessel

Used for banquets. 1800-1700 BC, Phaistos.

A giant squid depicted in the large vessel.

There was a model of Knossos Palace in the galleries.

The Knossos Palace of Minos started to be built in around 1900 BC.  It was continually renovated and expanded over the next five centuries until its final destruction around 1350 BC.

Vessels of various shapes decorated with "Floral Style" motifs.  
Knossos Palace and houses, 1500-1450 BC.

Vessels with "Marine style"motifs. 

The Harvester Vase- depicts 27 men carrying harvesting implements. Hagia Triada, 1450 BC.

There were a number of ritual vessels associated with Minoan religious beliefs.

Vessels from a sanctuary associated with the cult of the sacred snake.  Knossos, 1700-1600 BC.

Stone Bull's Head- a masterpiece of Minoan art, used for libations (hole in the neck for filling and hole in the snout for pouring out the liquid).  Knossos-Little Palace, 1600-1450 BC.

Important figurines of the "Snake Goddess". Knossos Temple Repositaries, 1650-1550 BC.

Figurines of goddesses with upraised arms and cult vessels found at Gazi, Heraklion. Crowned with symbols in the shapes of plant stems, birds and the fruit of the opium poppy. 1300-1200 BC.

Elbows Up!!

There was a section entitled Athletes and Acrobats.  Bull-Leaping was very popular.  Young, trained athletes made a dangerous leap over the horns and back of a charging bull.  Both men and woman took part.

Fresco shows how the sport was performed. One of the female athletes is restraining the bull by the horns to reduce its speed while the man leaps over the bull.  The second female athlete is waiting with outstretched arms to catch the leaper as he lands.  This fresco was found at the palace of Knossos.
1600-1400 BC.

The bull-leaper. Knossos palace, 1600-1450 BC.

All of these amazing Minoan artefacts were on the main floor of the gallery.  The second floor features parts of frescos, mosaics and many large pieces of art.  We were running out of steam at this point.  The Museum lived up to its billing with its incredible and comprehensive collection of Minoan art.  The craftsmanship was incredible in the various media and the preservation of colours was astounding. We really enjoyed our visit.

We went outside on the second floor for a view of the city.

View from the Museum-port on the left side

We decided to go for a late afternoon coffee at Koul, recommended by Georgios, our Free Tour guide.

Outside of Koul

Inside was small but had a great design.

Nice sized patio with view of the front of Saint Minas Cathedral.  The square behind this Church is where we had drinks on Wednesday.

Before heading back to the apartment, we went to a wonderful tea shop called Tea Palace where we got some Cretan herbal tea (made with 14 herbs) called Karteraki.  They had an excellent selection of teas.

At the Tea Palace

We had a rest and went for a walk along the waterfront.  Allan made a lovely chicken dinner which we ate out on the deck.  

Late dinner on the deck.

On Friday, we will head to the ruins of the Knossos Palace, which is located about five km south of Heraklion.  We can catch a bus for the 20 minutes ride to the site.