Five ancient works of Cretan metalwork from the 7th century B.C. are being repatriated from the United States of America and returned to Crete, to the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. These include two helmets and three mitres, which were part of the defensive armor worn by the Cretan aristocracy during the Archaic period.
They were recovered from an extensive illegal excavation carried out in October 1964 on the hill of Prophet Elias, in Afrati, Heraklion. Other ancient artifacts from the wider area of the illegal excavation are also housed and displayed at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum; in fact, they were recently featured in the temporary exhibition “Ekatompolis: The World of Archaic Crete” .
Systematic, interdisciplinary scientific research conducted by the Directorate for the Documentation and Protection of Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with departments of the Ministry of Culture, has confirmed the identity of these Cretan artifacts.
Their repatriation is an act of justice and will contribute to a more complete understanding of the archaeological context from which they were forcibly removed approximately sixty years ago.
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