▁H iller ▁von ▁Ga er tring en ▁revealed ▁the ▁ru ins ▁of ▁ancient ▁Th era ▁on ▁M esa ▁V ou no . ▁He ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁settlement s ▁of ▁ 9 th ▁century ▁BC ▁there , ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁Spart an ▁col ony . ▁ ▁Also , ▁a ▁little ▁later , ▁R . ▁Z ahn ▁exc av ated ▁in ▁the ▁local ity ▁of ▁Pot amos , ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Arch ae ological ▁Institute ▁at ▁Ath ens . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁exc av ations ▁at ▁Ak ro ti ri ▁were ▁conducted ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁Arch ae ological ▁Society ▁of ▁Ath ens . ▁ ▁Ex position ▁ ▁The ▁Museum ▁covers ▁the ▁island ' s ▁history ▁starting ▁from ▁the ▁Late ▁Ne ol ith ic ▁period ▁to ▁the ▁Late ▁Cy cl adic ▁I ▁period . ▁The ▁history ▁of ▁Ak ro ti ri ▁goes ▁back ▁to ▁ 3 3 0 0 ▁B . C ., ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁fl our ished ▁especially ▁during ▁the ▁m ature ▁Late ▁Cy cl adic ▁I ▁period ▁( 1 7 th ▁century ▁B . C . ); ▁the ▁arte fact s ▁from ▁this ▁period ▁are ▁abund antly ▁illustrated . ▁ ▁The ▁collections ▁are ▁ordered ▁chron olog ically , ▁and ▁include ▁cer am ics , ▁sculpt ures , ▁j ew ell ery , ▁wall ▁paint ings , ▁and ▁rit ual ▁objects . ▁The ▁monument al ▁art ▁of ▁wall - p ain ting ▁is ▁represented ▁in ▁great ▁detail . ▁The ▁island ' s ▁complex ▁network ▁of ▁contacts