CULTURE AND HISTORY BROUGHT TO LIFE
Greece’s superlative museums move their fascinating collections into the international spotlight

The Acropolis is considered the birthplace of modern civilization, and its sculptures housed in the associated museum are a touchstone for all those interested in Greek history

Greece has a rich history stretching back thousands of years, and the area has given rise to wave after wave of great cultures producing fearless explorers, conquering heroes, and academics with an unprecedented thirst for learning. Many civilizations had their birthplace on these lands, each leaving behind a unique imprint of themselves in the remnants that lay buried and covered by the groups that replaced them.

Habitation of the land began in Neolithic times, which gave way to the Bronze Age with the rise and fall of the Cycladic and Minoan cultures. The high cultural achievements of the Mycenean civilization were cut short by the Dark Ages, which brought invasion by the Dorians, Aeolians, and Ionians. The Archaic and then Classical periods that followed saw Athens reaching its greatest political and cultural heights. The Hellenistic period of Greek history saw the nation’s culture and learning pre-eminent in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor until 146 BC, when Greece was conquered by the Romans and Emperor Constantine founded his Byzantine Empire. This fell in turn to the Turks in 1453 and Greece didn’t achieve its independence from the Ottoman Empire until nearly 400 years later in 1829.

The glorious remains of these different cultures and civilizations, witness to the splendor of Greece’s varied past, are on display in the country’s many carefully run national and private museums and galleries. Greece appreciates its richly checkered history, and is proud to share it with visitors hungry to learn more of the area’s history.

The Acropolis Museum houses stone sculptures from the monuments of the Acropolis, including the most important of the Athenian sanctuaries, the ‘temenos’ of Athena Parthenos, patron goddess of Athens. Since the beginning of the excavations, the vases and the bronzes from the site have been kept in the National Archeological Museum of Athens, while the inscriptions are housed in the Epigraphical Museum.

The collections of the National Archeological Museum in Athens represent all the cultures that have left behind indications of their presence in these lands; from prehistoric exhibits to Mycenean gold and Minoan frescoes, bronze statues, and marble goddesses, this amazing collection documents the richness of Greek history in a very visual manner.

The Archeological Museum of Herakleion in Crete is a developed establishment housing a very complete collection of the most important finds from the Minoan culture that flourished in Crete for over 1500 years. The most outstanding pieces include superb frescoes from Knossos, awe-inspiring double axes, the Minoan symbol of power and dominance, elegant bronze and stone figurines, and exquisite gold jewelry. The museum also contains Neolithic, Archaic Greek, and Roman finds from throughout Crete.

Many civilizations have had their birthplace on Greek lands, each leaving behind a glorious imprint of their culture

Olympia’s Archeological Museum hosts a large collection of artifacts from the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, where the Olympic Games originated and were held in ancient times. There are parts of the Temple of Zeus, plus weapons and helmets that were gifts to the god by pilgrims and athletes coming to Olympia. The most famous exhibit is a statue of Hermes carrying Dionysos by Praxitales, made of Parian marble, dating from the 4th century AD.

Greece’s Byzantine museums demonstrate the influence of Christianity on the Roman civilization that dominated the area for many centuries. The Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens houses an important collection of Greek ecclesiastical art from the 4th century to the 19th century, including Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons, sculpture, manuscripts, wall paintings, mosaics, and wood carvings.

The impending 2004 Olympics in Athens is focusing the spotlight on the whole of Greece, and authorities are eager to highlight the positive links between the ancient games and their modern equivalent as they return to the country of their birth. To this end, a selection of the most relevant Greek museums and galleries are undergoing renovation to ensure their treasures are presented to the international community in their best light. The National Archeological Museum is due to reopen its doors in June 2004, and the Archeological Museum at Olympia will reopen at Easter.