The Chania Ephorate of Antiquities is going ahead with the official presentation of an important archaeological discovery on Wednesday July 24. An assemblage of small statues of Artemis and Apollo standing on a stepped stone pedestal and which, according to the announcement by the Chania Ephorate of Antiquities, were found during a systematic excavation conducted by the Ephorate in a Roman villa at ancient Aptera, supervised by archaeologist Vanna Niniou-Kindeli and funded by the Region of Crete.

As described in the announcement, “Artemis, the patron goddess of Aptera, has been made of bronze and her twin brother Apollo of marble. The goddess, standing on an elaborate box shaped bronze base, is depicted in her girdled short chiton, poised to shoot with her bow. Though more simply rendered, Apollo’s attitude expresses a strong inner tension. The two statues, works of high quality plasticity, will be exhibited for the first time in their place of origin and will form part of the permanent collection of the Archaeological Museum of Chania. They had probably been imported from artistic centers outside Crete to become the domestic shrine of the luxurious Roman villa they adorned. They can be said to date from in the second half of the 1st to the early 2nd century AD”.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday 7.30 p.m. at the Archaeological Museum of Chania.