Archaeological Museum of Astypalea

The Archaeological Museum of Astypalea is housed in a ground-floor hall, donated to the Ministry of Culture by the Ecclesiastical Philanthropic Fund of Astypalea in 1994. The museum’s exhibition was organised between 1995 and 1996 and was later enhanced with appropriate visual aids and a special audio/visual program (Soundscape). The museum officially opened in September 1998.

The exhibition is timeless, showcasing artefacts that span from prehistoric times to the medieval period.

Notable exhibits include:

Prehistoric findings

Pottery, jewellery, bronze, and stone tools from rich chamber tombs of the Mycenaean period at Armenochori and Sygairo, indicating the island’s prosperity during the Late Bronze Age. Of particular interest is the discovery of a large number of stone tools in one of the tombs, likely related to the deceased’s profession.

Treasure of silver coins From the Classical period, discovered on the island.

Collection of votive inscriptions From sanctuaries, offering insights into the deities worshipped on Astypalεa in antiquity (Apollo, Artemis Lochia, Eileithyia, Asclepius, and Aphrodite). A notable item is a large inscribed votive base dedicated to Apollo, dating back to the 4th century BC, bearing traces of a monumental statue.

Classical and Hellenistic period artefacts include:

Architectural fragments (inscribed architraves), funerary and votive reliefs, tomb altars, male and female statuettes, and significant inscriptions (funerary, votive, honorary decrees, and letters from emperors).

Noteworthy finds in this category:

Torso of a draped male statue With the cloak wrapped around the waist, draped over the left shoulder, and held with the left hand, leaving the chest bare.
Banquet scene relief Depicts a reclining couple on a couch, with a female figure seated at the foot of the couch, a small servant, a table with food, and a tree entwined with a snake (a depiction of a funerary banquet or deified dead?).
Relief of a funerary banquet scene Features a male figure on a couch and a seated female figure wearing a chiton and cloak, with her feet on a footstool. The scene is framed by pilasters with a cornice decorated with acroteria.
Torso of a Roman-era armored male statue.
Lower part of a half-naked female statue Likely of Aphrodite, with draped clothing falling in rich folds to the feet.
Fragment of a golden wreath With leaves and fruit.
Inscribed stone with a sacred law Detailing the conditions for entering a sanctuary (3rd century BC).
Inscribed stone with a letter from Emperor Hadrian Addressed to the rulers and council of the Knidians.

The museum also features:
A collection of pottery From the Geometric to Roman periods, found in the necropolises of Katsalos and Kylindra.
Marble balustrades, capitals, and other parts From early Christian basilicas.
A marble coat of arms of the Querini family The rulers of the island, from the Venetian Castle in Chora.

This collection offers a fascinating look into the rich history of Astypalεa, from its ancient roots to its medieval past.