Archaeological Museum of Mesara in Gortys, Crete now open!

Archaeological Museum of Mesara in Gortys, Crete now open!
Gortys, also known as Gortyn or Gortyna is one of the most important cities in Crete with an unbroken history of 6,000 years and one of the most extensive archaeological sites in Greece. It lies in south central Crete in the fertile Mesara plain, the site of the first human habitation of Crete at the end of the Neolithic period (5th millennium BC). Gortys was one of the first areas of Crete to attract the attention of researchers and archaeologists as early as the period of Turkish occupation in the late 19th century, when Minoan civilization was still a matter of conjecture and myth. In 1884 the discovery and preservation of the Great Inscription by Iosif Hatzidakis, Stefanos Xanthoudides and Italian Federico Halbherr led to excavations in the Gortys area and these explorations brought important buildings and finds to light, although a large part of the Roman city still remains unexplored today. The area has been inhabited since the end of the Neolithic period. Habitation continued in Minoan times, a fact proven by the Minoan country villa found in the Kannia area near Mitropolis village, not far from Gortys. From the middle of the 1st millennium BCE, Gortys replaced Phaistos as the chief power in the Mesara, centered around the fortified acropolis with the temple of Athena Poliouchos (Protector of the City). After the Roman conquest of Crete in 67 BC, Gortys, which was well disposed towards Rome, became capital of Crete, replacing Knossos. Gortys was declared the capital of the Roman province of Crete and Cyrenaica, a position it held until the Arab conquest of Crete in 828 AD. The Museum's debut features the exhibit "Island of the Winds" which explores the rich nautical culture of the prehistoric Aegean via 3D modeling, digital interactives, and displays of priceless Bronze Age artifacts. Islands of the Winds will be on display through August 31, 2020.


Image: Pluto-Serapis with Cerberus, found in the sanctuary of the Egyptian Gods at Gortys, Crete, 2nd century CE courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributor Carole Raddato.

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