ATHENS, May 17 (Xinhua) -- A replica of the famous Dolphin Mural at the Knossos archaeological site on Greece's Crete island was damaged on Friday due to strong winds in the area, the Greek Culture Ministry said on Saturday.
Two sections of the plaster replica have collapsed and been damaged. The site, a popular tourist destination, had been closed to the public a few hours earlier as a precautionary measure due to the adverse weather conditions.
Archaeologists have already collected fragments of the replica, which was created in 1960, according to the ministry's statement.
The original Dolphin Mural, which dates back to the Bronze Age, approximately 1600-1500 B.C., is on display at the Archaeological Museum in the nearby port city of Heraklion.
One of the palace's most iconic artworks, the Dolphin Mural depicts dolphins and fish in a lively marine scene.
Knossos was a major center of the Minoan civilization, which flourished on Crete during the Bronze Age.
