Culture Minister Mihalis Liapis officially inaugurated here on Thursday morning (Greek time) an exhibition titled “From the Land of the Labyrinth: Minoan Crete, 3000-1100 B.C.” in the presence of many U.S. and Greek personalities.

The exhibition, which will run until September 13, is being hosted at the Cultural centre of the "Alexandros Onassis" Foundation in Manhattan.

"Most of the exhibited artifacts have never been displayed outside Greece," Liapis noted in his inauguration speech, highlighting at the same time the "historic and archaeological importance" of Minoan civilization.

"Ancient Greek civilization is synonym with the achievements of the classical period and the Athenian Democracy of the 5th century B.C. Nevertheless, ancient Greece was marked by other historical periods of civilizations which flourished, before the classical era, such as the Minoan Civilization," the minister said.

The 280 handmade artifacts which are being exhibited "reveal the history of the luminous Minoan Civilization of Crete, which constititutes the first developed civilization recognized in Europe," Liapis added.

Among those present at the inauguration were the president of the "Alexandros Onassis" Foundation Antonis Papadimitriou, former prime minister and honorary president of the ruling New Democracy (ND) party Constantine Mitsotakis and Archbishop of America Dimitrios.  

Source: Athens News Agency

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