Archaeological Museum of Sitia

The Archaeological Museum of Sitia, inaugurated in 1984, houses finds from eastern Crete spanning the Late Neolithic to the Late Roman periods (roughly 3500 BC to 500 AD). Its most celebrated exhibit is the Palaikastro Kouros, a small statuette from the 15th century BC: the body is carved from hippopotamus ivory (probably imported from Egypt), the head from serpentine, the eyes from rock crystal, with gold leaf clothing. The museum also displays Linear A tablets from the palace archives at Kato Zakros, offering rare evidence of ancient Cretan script. Other artefacts include decorated pottery, large pithoi, and miniature art from Minoan contexts, alongside Geometric, Archaic, Hellenistic and Roman burial goods from sites such as Xerokambos, Ziros and Koufonisi. The collection is organised chronologically and by geographical origin, with conservation laboratories and a small archaeological library on site.