Table 1 Images and brief contextual description of selected stone carved works studied at the Historical Museum of Crete and the conservation laboratory of the Heraklion Ephorate of Antiquities

Stone inscriptions and reliefs from the Historical museum of Crete

AI86

Venetian stone inscription, seventeenth c. CE, found in the Arsenali Nuovissiomi, Heraklion. It bears the names of the officials who participated in the construction of the Arsenals. Dimensions: 0.76 × 0.58 m²

AI95

Venetian memorial stone inscription, seventeenth c. CE, for the Agostino di Antonio Pasqualino, Capitano of Crete. Dimensions: 0.75 × 0.46 m²

AI198

Stone inscription, nineteenth c. CE, from a fountain (çeşme), which was used for catharsis before pray (abdest), possibly coming from a Cami. Traces of blue and white paint are visible in the background. Dimensions: 0.50 × 0.26 m²

AI244

Stone inscription, nineteenth c. CE, possibly from a Cami fountain (çeşme). The background is characterized by yellow, dark green, light green and white coloration. Traces of red and green paint as well as of a metallic foil are also visible on the inscription. Dimensions: 0.60 × 0.25 m²

AI378

Stone inscription, nineteenth c. CE. It is a typical muslim confession of faith (shahada). Its surface is largely red colored while remains of a decorative metallic foil are also visible. Dimensions: 0.90 × 0.20 m²

AI0176

Decorative colored stone relief, nineteenth c. CE, showing a double axe, which is possibly symbol of the Bektashi Order. Its origin is probably from a tekke. Red is the paint extensively characterizing the stone sculpture. Traces of blue, yellow and green paint as well as of a metallic foil are also visible. Dimensions: 0.50 × 0.65 m²

AI0120

Decorative colored stone relief of the upper part of Minbar, nineteenth c CE. Its origin is from the Vezir Camii (nowadays the church of St. Titus at the Heraklion city center). Its surface is colored in dark red and yellow paint. It is also decorated by engraved stone-like ornaments. Dimensions: 0.82 × 1.3 m²

Marble fragment from the collection of St. Catherine

AG1

Marble fragment from the collection of St. Catherine of Sinai, a representative collection of the Cretan Byzantine and post-Byzantine art. The fragment was found detached. Traces of red, dark green and dark paint as well as of a metallic foil are hardly visible on its surface. Its archaeological context is not defined thus its dating is highly ambiguous. Dimensions: 0.41 × 0.08 × 0.15 m³