Archaeological Collection of Malevizi

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Gazi

The Archaeological Collection of Malevizi is located in Gazi, in the central square, and is housed in a particular room of the Municipal Palace. The collection, funded by the Municipality of Malevizi, was inaugurated in 2011 and belongs to the Ministry of Culture and the Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities.

It is a museum with a rich collection of findings dating from all periods of Cretan history. The visitor has the opportunity to see about 40 showcases in which about 500 objects are exhibited. Most exhibits come from the Metaxas collection, maintained by the businessman Nikolaos Metaxas from 1959 to 1997. Also, 30 more objects come from excavations in the broader area of the Municipality.

The Archaeological Collection is divided into seven sections, and the exhibits are listed chronologically. Each section is accompanied by a bilingual (Greek-English) explanatory table that includes the exhibits' chronological and cultural context. These sections are as follows:

1st section: It consists of stone objects, such as stone tools and pottery, as well as other objects from the Neolithic to the Minoan period.

2nd section: It is the most extensive section of the collection, dedicated to ceramic art. It consists mainly of ceramic vessels from the early Bronze Age to the Roman years. The clay ceramic wheel (on which the containers were moulded) stands out, as well as the Archaic times giant jar with representations of people and horses.

Section 3: Here, pottery objects are exhibited. The multitude of clay statuettes concerns human figures (female and male), figures of deities, animals, and models of objects dating from the Minoan to the Roman period. In the same section, clay figurines from the Minoan top sanctuaries that represent worshipers are exhibited.

Section 4: It is dedicated to the art of sculpture. Here, the visitor can admire marble vessels, as well as other artefacts of the Roman period. The rare marble vase of the Classical period stands out.

5th section: It includes items that do not come from the Metaxas Collection. It concerns the archaeological topography of the Municipality of Malevizi and includes findings (vessels, figurines, etc.) from areas such as Gazi, Krousonas and Kavrochori. The central exhibit of the unit is the Minoan sarcophagus from the site of Tylissos, with the unique painted decoration.

Section 6: Dedicated to metal objects such as swords, arrows, spears, tools and jewellery. The rare Minoan bronze figurines of worshipers stand out.

Section 7: Here, ancient jewellery is exhibited, such as stone and gold necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets from the Minoan era and later times.

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