A major archaeological exhibition celebrating four decades of systematic excavations at ancient Eleutherna opens on June 29 at the Museum of Ancient Eleutherna and runs through October 19, 2025. Titled “Archaic Elites: Warriors and Princesses”, the exhibition is curated by Professor Nikolaos Chr. Stampolidis, Director General of the Acropolis Museum and lead archaeologist of the Eleutherna excavations.
The venue itself—Crete’s first on-site archaeological museum—is a testament to the long-standing importance of the site. Though modest in size, the Museum of Ancient Eleutherna stands in the esteemed company of Olympia, Delphi, and Vergina.
It was established specifically to house the rich findings of the University of Crete’s excavations, which began in 1984 and have since uncovered sanctuaries, necropoleis, and ancient stone quarries on and around the Prines hill. Most notably, the necropolis of Orthi Petra—where the remains of four elite women were discovered—was named one of the top ten archaeological discoveries of 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America.
“Because we viewed and continue to view Archaeology not only as an interpretation of the past,” said Stampolidis in his opening remarks, “but as an inspiration for the present—one that steadily builds a better future through memory, knowledge, and collective action. We saw Archaeology as a public good.”
From the Earth to Homeric Verse
The exhibition brings to life the monumental finds of Orthi Petra, where the cremations and burials of ancient aristocrats—men and women alike—shed light on the lives and rituals of a society echoing the epics of Homer. “A place of silence, like the necropolis, speaks eloquently of the lives of ancient people,” Stampolidis reflects. “This truth rises from the earth and merges with the poetry of Homer.”
To place Eleutherna in its broader Mediterranean context, the exhibition features over 130 rare artefacts from 18 museums across Cyprus, Italy, and Spain, displayed alongside more than 400 finds from Eleutherna. Together, they trace a cultural and trade network spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa during the Geometric and Archaic periods.
Treasures Across Time and Space
Displayed in thematic sections, the artefacts include:
- Adornment and Prestige: Intricate jewellery of gold, silver, bronze, and semi-precious stones, including diadems, pendants, bracelets, and rings.
- Weapons of War: Defensive and offensive arms such as helmets, shields, swords, and arrowheads.
- Objects of Daily and Ritual Use: Terracotta and bronze vessels, bathing accessories, urns, kraters, and ceremonial ladles.
- Elite Burials: Finds from Tomb 247 of Palaepafos in Cyprus, a warrior’s grave from Basilicata in Southern Italy, and rich funerary goods from across the Mediterranean.
Each object, large or small, is presented as a story—of individuals, communities, and civilizations. “Every artefact is a thread,” Stampolidis notes, “spun around the spindle of memory and time, weaving together the lives, loves, and losses of Mediterranean peoples.”
A Living Archaeology
The Eleutherna project, initially led by Professors Petros Themelis, Thanasis Kalpaxis, and Stampolidis, has always stood out for its combination of rigorous academic excavation and public engagement. The exhibition reflects this ethos, not only showcasing archaeological findings but also inviting visitors into a wider reflection on identity, memory, and connectivity in the ancient world.
