The Nationwide Archaeological Museum of Athens is likely one of the best and largest archaeological museums of Greece. Based on the finish of the nineteenth century its main position was to accommodate the huge assortment of an important antiquities found throughout Greece, whereas preserving their historic and cultural worth.
The Transient Historical past of the Nationwide Archaeological Museum of Athens
The Nationwide Archaeological Museum was the primary museum based within the Greek state in 1829 after the liberation of Greece from the Ottoman Empire with its authentic tackle being the island of Aegina. The museum was later moved to its present location within the coronary heart of Athens in 1866. With a beneficiant donation of land from E. Tositsa and a considerable donation from the Bernardakis household from St. Petersburg, the museum with the architectural designs of Ludwig Lange and Ernst Ziller’s touches on its façade – took its ultimate type and opened its doorways to the general public in 1889.
Throughout World Struggle II antiquities from the Archaeological Museum and different museums had been packed in bins and saved within the basements of the Museums across the nation and different areas.
Nationwide Archaeological Museum Athens Assortment
The Nationwide Archaeological Museum of Athens primarily homes excavations from the Attica area in addition to different components of the nation. Its huge assortment accounts for over 11,000 artifacts from prehistory to late antiquity.
Right this moment in its 8,000 sq. meters of house guests can admire a complete of 5 everlasting collections:
The Assortment of Prehistoric Antiquities
This huge assortment is devoted to the outstanding works of the superior civilizations that developed within the Aegean from sixth millennium to 1050 BC. Displays embrace excavations from Neolithic, Cycladic and Mycenaean civilizations in addition to findings from the prehistoric settlement of Thira in Santorini.
The early Cycladic tradition spanned the third millennium BC.
As a result of their privileged geographical location in the midst of the Aegean between the 2 continents (Europe and Asia Minor) in addition to the shut proximity to Crete and the Greek mainland – allowed the Cyclades to manage commerce and communication all through the broader area. Most finds of the Early Cycladic interval (3200-2000 BC) come from burials.
A notable assortment devoted to the frying pan vessels depict essentially the most attribute creations of the Cycladic Civilization. The frying pans that are shallow vessels made largely of clay, with incised ornament on the outside had been found in graves. The ornamental motifs depict symbols of the ocean and sky in types of spirals, circles with brief rays, stars, triangles, fish and starfish. Their operate stays unknown, but more than likely they had been used for sensible and ritual functions alike. Probably the most spectacular examples of frying pans had been found on the cemetery of Chalandriani on Syros.
The origins of the Mycenaean civilization (1600-1100 BC), with its best heart Mycenae within the Peloponnese, is understood for its ruling warrior class who enhanced their relations with Crete’s Minoan civilization, thus importing supplies, concepts and expertise.
The invention of Grave Circle A in 1876 by Heinrich Schliemann dropped at gentle the good, unknown civilization, confirming Mycaenae’s significance throughout this era and verifying Homer’s description of Mycenae as “wealthy in gold”.
The Assortment of Sculpture Works – the extraordinary assortment unveils the evolution of historic Greek sculpture from the seventh century B.C. till the fifth century AD. Right this moment the gathering numbers roughly 16,000 sculptures which come from public buildings of Attica, Jap mainland Greece, the Peloponnese and the Aegean islands, in addition to sanctuaries and necropolises. Additionally a big variety of sculptures come from Thessaly, Western Greece, Macedonia, Thrace and Cyprus.
The bottom ground of the museum, Corridor 7-35 is split into 4 sections devoted to the Archaic, Classical, Hellinistic and Roman interval.
The Assortment of Metalworking Works is likely one of the richest collections of authentic works, statues, collectible figurines and miniature crafts displaying the evolution of metallic work all through the centuries, the a number of creative developments in addition to the various traditions, every day life, cults and beliefs of the folks from Geometric to the Roman interval.
The metalwork assortment is housed on the bottom ground of the museum Corridor 36-39 and is split into 4 segments – the introduction to Metallic Work Assortment, Geometric, Archaic and Basic Interval.
The Vase and Miniature Assortment boast over 6,000 consultant works of historic Greek ceramics from the eleventh century. B.C. as much as the 4th century B.C. Different notable displays on show are from important sanctuaries of Sounio in Attica, Heraion of Argos in Argolis, amongst others.
The imposing assortment is discovered on the first ground of the museum (Corridor 49-57) and is split into 4 durations: Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Late Classical/Early Hellenistic Interval.
The Egyptian Assortment holds a big place within the Nationwide Archaeological Museum Athens, and its core is product of the numerous donations of two Greek expatriates from Egypt, Ioannis Dimitriou and Alexandros Rostovich. The Assortment was additional enhanced due to the donations made by the Greek Archaeological Society in 1894, and the federal government of Egypt in 1893 in addition to different smaller particular person donations and objects present in excavations carried out throughout Greece.
Nationwide Archaeological Museum Athens Highlights
The outstanding assortment of the archaeological museums has many notable objects, beneath we checklist a few of our favorites.
The Masks of Agamemnon (Assortment of Mycenaean Antiquities, Floor Flooring, Corridor 3-6)
The unique masks from the sixteenth century B.C. is housed within the Nationwide Archaeological Museum, a duplicate is on show on the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae. The hammered gold sheet depicts the imposing determine of a bearded man. The 2 holes close to the just about lower ears had been used to safe the masks over the deceased’s face with a wire. Schliemann attributed this discovery to Agamemnon.
Clay frying pan vessel with an outline of a ship which showcases the good significance of seafaring. Found on the Chalandriani cemetery on the island of Syros. (Assortment of Cycladic Antiquities, Floor Flooring, Corridor 3-6)
Spring fresco, the one fresco of Akrotiri, Thera, which was discovered intact, in place, extending onto three partitions of the identical room depicting the Theran panorama previous to the volcanic eruption. Room D2, Advanced Delta. Akrotiri, Thera, sixteenth century BC.
Spring frescos authentic from Akrotiri in Santorini
The Boxers fresco that portrays two bare boys sporting a belt and boxing gloves. Room B1, Constructing B. Akroteri, Thera, sixteenth century BC.
Each frescos displayed on the Assortment of Antiquities of Thera, Floor Flooring Corridor 3-6.
15161 Bronze statue of Zeus or Poseidon, it was discovered on the backside of the ocean of Cape Artemision in north Euboea. The god is holding a thunderbolt or trident in his proper hand. A effective instance of the Extreme type identified for the superb rendering of movement and physique anatomy.
(Classical Interval, Floor Flooring, Corridor 7-35)
15177 Bronze statue of a horse and a younger jockey, it was retrieved in items from a shipwreck off Cape Artemision in north Euboea. The work is called the Artemision Jockey.
(Hellenistic Interval, Floor Flooring, Corridor 7-35)
Marble group of Aphrodite, Pan and Eros, product of Parian marble was found within the “Home of the Poseidoniastai of Beryttos” (Beirut) on the historic website of Delos. Within the sculpture the nude goddess Aphrodite is making an attempt to defend herself from the goat-footed god Pan, whereas god Eros has come to her rescue. (Hellenistic Interval, Floor Flooring, Corridor 7-35)
Bronze statue of the emperor Augustus (27 BC – AD 14) depicted in maturing age, was discovered within the Aegean sea between the islands of Euboea and Agios Efstratios. (Roman Interval, Floor Flooring, Corridor 7-35)
Bronze statue of the emperor Augustus
The Antikythera Mechanism is among the many exceptional findings of the Antikythera shipwreck. The 82 fragments of the Mechanism are housed within the Bronze assortment of the Nationwide Archaeological Museum. Greater than a century of analysis has confirmed that it’s the oldest identified astronomical and calendrical calculating machine. It has been named the “World’s First Laptop”.
Archaeological Museum Athens Hours
November 1st – March thirty first:
Tuesday: 13:00 – 20:00
From Wednesday till Monday: 08:30 – 15:30
April 1st – October thirty first:
Tuesday: 13:00 – 20:00
From Wednesday till Monday: 08:00 – 20:00
The Nationwide Archaeological Museum is closed on 25 – 26 December, 1 January, 25 March, Orthodox Easter Sunday and 1 Might.
Ticket worth: 12€ (From April 1st till October thirty first) | 6€ (From November 1st till March thirty first)
Purchase your Athens Nationwide Archaeological Museum Ticket with Audio Tour right here.
