{"id":13552,"date":"2026-07-17T16:52:34","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T14:52:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/?post_type=story&#038;p=13552"},"modified":"2026-07-29T19:53:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T17:53:17","slug":"enas-alliotikos-kouros-apo-to-palaikastro","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/story\/enas-alliotikos-kouros-apo-to-palaikastro\/","title":{"rendered":"The unconventional Kouros of Palaikastro"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"section galleryBlock \">\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"CarouselDiv\">\n\t<div data-view=\"1\" class=\"Carousel \n\t\tImageGrid ImageGallery--slideshow \n\t\t\toneImg\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tswiper-container \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t half\"  data-type=\"half\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__wrapper swiper-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__slide swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"ImageGalleryItem \" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"ImageGalleryItemCarousel \">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"ImageGalleryItem__image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-1536x1150.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-1536x1150.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-2048x1534.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div style=\"--ratio:75%\" class=\" AspectRatioBox \"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-2048x1534.jpg\" alt=\"The Kouros of Palaikastro\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-1024x767.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-1536x1150.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main-2048x1534.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav-prev swiper-button-prev\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<button  class=\"Button \n\t\t\t  \t\t\t   Button--icon-only\t\t\t   Button--secondary--alt \t\t\t  \"   >\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"Button__icon  Button__icon--right \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n<svg class=\"SvgIcon  \" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" shape-rendering=\"geometricPrecision\"  style=\"--svg-size: 24px\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<use class=\"icon-arrow-left-icon\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/hh\/public\/images\/icons.svg#icon-arrow-left-icon\"><\/use>\n\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"divider arrows\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav-next swiper-button-next\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<button  class=\"Button \n\t\t\t  \t\t\t   Button--icon-only\t\t\t   Button--secondary--alt \t\t\t  \"   >\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"Button__icon  Button__icon--right \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n<svg class=\"SvgIcon  \" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" shape-rendering=\"geometricPrecision\"  style=\"--svg-size: 24px\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<use class=\"icon-arrow-right-icon\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/hh\/public\/images\/icons.svg#icon-arrow-right-icon\"><\/use>\n\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentText TitleCenter  \">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"rich-text\">\n\t\t<p>If the word kouros naturally brings to mind austere, larger-than-life male figures carved out of marble, the Kouros of Palaikastro defies convention. Although it owes its contemporary name to the characteristic upright stance with the left leg forward &#8211; the defining feature of the celebrated Archaic Greek kouroi, originally inspired by Egyptian sculptural conventions &#8211; its unusual materials and exceptional craftsmanship set it apart.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section EmphasisText  \">\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"rich-text\">\n\t\t<p>Most of the statuette&#8217;s body is exquisitely carved in hippopotamus ivory, while the arms and legs were partially covered in gold sheets. The hair is fashioned from green serpentine, the eyes from rock crystal, the joints were made of wood and the base was decorated with blue glass paste, inlaid with tiny gold discs.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentText TitleCenter  \">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"rich-text\">\n\t\t<p>No fewer than six different materials were combined to create this remarkable 54cm-tall chryselephantine statuette of a youthful male figure, discovered in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/destinations\/palaikastro-siteia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Minoan settlement of Palaikastro<\/strong><\/a> and currently exhibited at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/destinations\/siteia-museum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Archaeological Museum of Sitia<\/strong><\/a>. Most of the body is exquisitely carved in hippopotamus ivory, while the arms and legs were partially covered in gold sheets. The hair is fashioned from green serpentine, the eyes from rock crystal, the joints were made of wood and the base was decorated with blue glass paste, inlaid with tiny gold discs.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section galleryBlock \">\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"CarouselDiv\">\n\t<div data-view=\"2\" class=\"Carousel \n\t\tImageGrid ImageGallery--slideshow \n\t\t\t two-items \n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tswiper-container \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t half\"  data-type=\"half\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__wrapper swiper-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__slide swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"ImageGalleryItem \" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"ImageGalleryItemCarousel \">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"ImageGalleryItem__image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-1337x1536.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-768x882.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-1337x1536.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-1783x2048.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div style=\"--ratio:133%\" class=\" AspectRatioBox \"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-892x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The Kouros of Palaikastro\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-261x300.jpg 261w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-892x1024.jpg 892w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-768x882.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-1337x1536.jpg 1337w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-1a-1783x2048.jpg 1783w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1081px) 1024px, (min-width: 768px) 768px, 100vw\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__slide swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"ImageGalleryItem \" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"ImageGalleryItemCarousel \">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"ImageGalleryItem__image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-1349x1536.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-768x874.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-1349x1536.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-1799x2048.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div style=\"--ratio:133%\" class=\" AspectRatioBox \"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-899x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The Kouros of Palaikastro\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-264x300.jpg 264w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-899x1024.jpg 899w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-768x874.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-1349x1536.jpg 1349w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-square-2-1799x2048.jpg 1799w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1081px) 1024px, (min-width: 768px) 768px, 100vw\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav-prev swiper-button-prev\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<button  class=\"Button \n\t\t\t  \t\t\t   Button--icon-only\t\t\t   Button--secondary--alt \t\t\t  \"   >\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"Button__icon  Button__icon--right \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n<svg class=\"SvgIcon  \" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" shape-rendering=\"geometricPrecision\"  style=\"--svg-size: 24px\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<use class=\"icon-arrow-left-icon\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/hh\/public\/images\/icons.svg#icon-arrow-left-icon\"><\/use>\n\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"divider arrows\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav-next swiper-button-next\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<button  class=\"Button \n\t\t\t  \t\t\t   Button--icon-only\t\t\t   Button--secondary--alt \t\t\t  \"   >\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"Button__icon  Button__icon--right \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n<svg class=\"SvgIcon  \" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" shape-rendering=\"geometricPrecision\"  style=\"--svg-size: 24px\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<use class=\"icon-arrow-right-icon\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/hh\/public\/images\/icons.svg#icon-arrow-right-icon\"><\/use>\n\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentText TitleCenter  \">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"rich-text\">\n\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its size and precious materials indicate it was used in cult worship, most likely representing an unknown male deity &#8211; perhaps a precursor to Zeus. Yet this unique work of art met a violent end. Both the statuette and the shrine that housed it perished in a fire at the beginning of the 15th century BC, most likely during a raid. In fact, archaeological evidence suggests that the figure was deliberately smashed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the course of four years (1987-1990) and three excavations, more than two hundred fragments were recovered, many bearing the scars of the devastating fire. The painstaking work of reconstructing the statuette and gradually unlocking its secrets can only be described as monumental. All of these years later, archaeologists continue to hope that technological advances will one day allow them to complete this intriguing archaeological puzzle.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section galleryBlock withDivider\">\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"CarouselDiv\">\n\t<div data-view=\"1\" class=\"Carousel \n\t\tImageGrid ImageGallery--slideshow \n\t\t\toneImg\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tswiper-container \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t half\"  data-type=\"half\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__wrapper swiper-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__slide swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"ImageGalleryItem \" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"ImageGalleryItemCarousel \">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"ImageGalleryItem__image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-1536x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-1536x1024.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-2048x1365.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" data-sub-html=\"The Kouros of Palaikastro at the Archaeological Museum of Sitia\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div style=\"--ratio:50%\" class=\" AspectRatioBox \"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-2048x1365.jpg\" alt=\"The Kouros of Palaikastro at the Archaeological Museum of Sitia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/dsc-0336-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ImageGalleryItem__caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\tThe Kouros of Palaikastro at the Archaeological Museum of Sitia\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav-prev swiper-button-prev\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<button  class=\"Button \n\t\t\t  \t\t\t   Button--icon-only\t\t\t   Button--secondary--alt \t\t\t  \"   >\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"Button__icon  Button__icon--right \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n<svg class=\"SvgIcon  \" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" shape-rendering=\"geometricPrecision\"  style=\"--svg-size: 24px\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<use class=\"icon-arrow-left-icon\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/hh\/public\/images\/icons.svg#icon-arrow-left-icon\"><\/use>\n\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"divider arrows\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"Carousel__nav-next swiper-button-next\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<button  class=\"Button \n\t\t\t  \t\t\t   Button--icon-only\t\t\t   Button--secondary--alt \t\t\t  \"   >\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"Button__icon  Button__icon--right \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n<svg class=\"SvgIcon  \" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" shape-rendering=\"geometricPrecision\"  style=\"--svg-size: 24px\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<use class=\"icon-arrow-right-icon\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/hh\/public\/images\/icons.svg#icon-arrow-right-icon\"><\/use>\n\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section listBlock   \">\n\t<div class=\"block-heading d-flex\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-title\">Read also<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"row list three-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12  col-md-4 card-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<div class=\"Card    \"  \n   >\n  \n\t\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/story\/to-aionio-ainigma-tou-diskou-tis-faistou\/\" class=\"cardMainLink\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"CardTitle__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>The Phaistos Disc: An eternal enigma<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t      <div class=\"Card__image\">\n                          \n<div style=\"--ratio:75%\" class=\" AspectRatioBox \">                 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AMH_11-crop-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The Phaistos Disc\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AMH_11-crop-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AMH_11-crop-1024x530.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AMH_11-crop-768x397.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AMH_11-crop-1536x795.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AMH_11-crop-2048x1060.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw\">\n            <\/div>\n              <\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"CardBody   \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"CardTitle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"CardTitle__title \" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Phaistos Disc: An eternal enigma\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"CardBody__description \">The Phaistos Disc is not just one of the most iconic discoveries of the Minoan civilization, but also one of the most enigmatic, with countless theories attempting to decipher its content.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12  col-md-4 card-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<div class=\"Card    \"  \n   >\n  \n\t\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/story\/oi-diasimes-kyries-tis-ellinikis-proistorias\/\" class=\"cardMainLink\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"CardTitle__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>The celebrated ladies of Greek prehistory<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t      <div class=\"Card__image\">\n                          \n<div style=\"--ratio:75%\" class=\" AspectRatioBox \">                 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-thees-twn-ofewn.jpg\" alt=\"The Snake Goddesses\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-thees-twn-ofewn-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-thees-twn-ofewn-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-thees-twn-ofewn-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-thees-twn-ofewn-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-thees-twn-ofewn.jpg 1820w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw\">\n            <\/div>\n              <\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"CardBody   \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"CardTitle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"CardTitle__title \" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe celebrated ladies of Greek prehistory\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"CardBody__description \">Carved from marble or modelled in clay, priestesses or goddesses lending their shapely silhouettes to votive offerings and ritual objects, female figures dominate the figurative art and pottery of prehistoric Greece, from the islands of the Aegean all the way to Minoan Crete.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12  col-md-4 card-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<div class=\"Card    \"  \n   >\n  \n\t\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/story\/i-kori-tis-thiras-ena-apo-ta-megala-mystiria-tis-ellinikis-archaiologias\/\" class=\"cardMainLink\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"CardTitle__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>The Kore of Thera: One of the great mysteries of Greek archaeology<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t      <div class=\"Card__image\">\n                          \n<div style=\"--ratio:75%\" class=\" AspectRatioBox \">                 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kori-crop-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Kore of Thera\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kori-crop-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kori-crop-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kori-crop-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kori-crop-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kori-crop-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw\">\n            <\/div>\n              <\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"CardBody   \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"CardTitle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"CardTitle__title \" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Kore of Thera: One of the great mysteries of Greek archaeology\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"CardBody__description \">A century after the systematic excavation of the cemetery of Ancient Thera, the distinguished Santorini-born archaeologist Charalambos Sigalas made an extraordinary discovery just a few centimetres beneath the surface of the earth.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n \n<\/section>\n  \n    \n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The undisputed centrepiece of the Archaeological Museum of Sitia is unlike any other discovered to date: a diminutive chryselephantine statue of a young man, rightfully considered one of the most extraordinary masterpieces of Minoan art.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":13554,"parent":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","story_category":[81],"class_list":["post-13552","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","story_category-highlights-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The unconventional Kouros of Palaikastro - Hellenic Heritage<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/story\/enas-alliotikos-kouros-apo-to-palaikastro\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The unconventional Kouros of Palaikastro - Hellenic Heritage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The undisputed centrepiece of the Archaeological Museum of Sitia is unlike any other discovered to date: a diminutive chryselephantine statue of a young man, rightfully considered one of the most extraordinary masterpieces of Minoan art.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/en\/story\/enas-alliotikos-kouros-apo-to-palaikastro\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hellenic Heritage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-29T17:53:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hh.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kouros-main.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta 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