Archaeological Museum

Lonely Planet review

It's worth the hike up to the Archaeological Museum, which has an extensive and well-displayed collection from eastern Crete. While it has no major showpiece, it is probably the second most significant Minoan collection and includes clay coffins, ceramic musical instruments and gold from the island of Mohlos.

The chronological exhibits begin with Neolithic finds from Mt Tragistalos, north of Kato Zakros, and early Minoan finds from Agia Fotia, then finds from Malia and Mohlos. The highlight is the odd-looking Goddess of Myrtos, a clay jug from 2500 BC found near Myrtos. Another stand-out Minoan item is a stone ritual vessel in the shape of a shell, found in a late Minoan shrine at Malia, which features two Minoan demons and a goddess. Noteworthy exhibits from the Hellenistic and Roman periods include the athlete's skull, with gold wreath and a coin in his mouth for safe passage to the underworld, and a winged Eros figurine.