Acknowledgements

This database would have never materialised if it were not for the tireless work Mathieu D’Aquin invested in creating it, which went above and beyond the call of duty. There are not enough words to express the immense gratitude for his time, effort, dedication and enthusiasm.

Special thanks also to Diana Newall, the facilitator of the Leverhulme International Networks project ‘Damned in Hell in the frescoes of Venetian-dominated Crete 13th-17th centuries’, for populating the database; to Diogenes Papadopoulos for taking the photographs; and to Vassilis Beskenis (+1974-2017), who checked the modern Greek. Heartfelt thanks are equally due to Francesca Benatti for her invaluable advice and for co-authoring the ‘User Guide’; and to Alessio Antonini for preparing the database to launch. The latter was made possible by the continuous financial support of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at The Open University, as well as the generous funding by the A.G. Leventis Foundation towards the maintenance of the database.

The four Ephorates of Antiquities of Crete – Ephorate of Chania, Ephorate of Rethymnon, Ephorate of Herakleion and Ephorate of Lassithi – and the Greek Ministry of Culture, Athens, gave us permission to study, photograph and publish the Cretan Hell material and, effectively, the right to set up and launch the database. The paper trail and email communication of this process was long, and we would like to thank all the colleagues involved (in alphabetical order within each Ephorate) – in particular:

Ephorate of Chania: Dionysios Achtypis, Thanassis Mailis, Chryssa Bourbou and Eleni Papadopoulou
Ephorate of Rethymnon: Nikoletta Pyrrou and Anastasia Tzigkounaki
Ephorate of Herakleion: Vasiliki Sythiakaki
Ephorate of Lassithi: Marianna Katifori, Georgia Moschovi and Chrysoula Sofianou
Ministry of Greek Culture, Athens: Mrs Gerousi and Mrs Vlazaki

Please note that the rights of all monuments included in this database belong to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports (N. 2028/2002); those interested in publishing any of the materials here, should apply to / seek the permission of the relevant Ephorate of Antiquities of Crete: