The Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum
It is one of the most important museums in the world. It temporarily houses masterpieces of the ancient Greek civilization, dedicated to the most important of the Athenian sanctuaries, the "temenos" of Athena Parthenos. Preparations for the erection of the New Acropolis Museum have already begun.
Many of the unique works of art that ornamented the Acropolis have been stolen and transferred abroad. The worst plundering of the monuments took place in the beginning of the 19th century by Lord Elgin.
Τhe museum was designed by the architect Panages Kalkos and constructed between 1865 and 1874. In the 1950's it was extended towards the east and the exhibition was rearranged by the archaeologist I. Meliades. The museum contains only the stone sculptures from the monuments of the Acropolis and from the excavations on the site. Since the beginning of the excavations, the vases and the bronzes have been kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, while the inscriptions are housed in the Epigraphical Museum.
The collections of the museum include:
• Sculptural offerings of the Archaic period
• Pediments of temples dated to the Archaic period
• Archaic Horsemen
• Sculptures of the "Severe" style
• Pediments and metopes from the Parthenon
• The Parthenon frieze
• The Erechtheion frieze
• Parapets of the Athena Nike temple
• Frieze of the Athena Nike temple
• The Caryatids
• Clay figurines and vases from the sanctuary of the Nymphs.
The Moschophoros: The Moschophoros (calf-bearer). Archaic statue of a bearded man carrying a calf on his shoulders. The eyes of the figure were inset. According to the inscription on the base, it was offered by Rhombos. Dated to 570 B.C. Inv. no. 624
The Peplos Kore: Statue of a young woman (kore) clad in a chiton and peplos, which was originally ornamented with painted decoration. Traces of paint are still visible on her eyes, lips and curly hair, which was held by a metal diadem. Dated to 530 B.C. Inv. no. 679.
Kore with almond-shaped eyes. The young woman is clad in a chiton and short himation, which buttons on the left shoulder. A band with a painted maeander ornamented the diadem on her hair and garments. Dated to 500 B.C. Inv. no. 674.
Pediment of the Ancient Temple. Part of the east pediment of the Ancient Temple, bearing a representation of Gigantomachy. Athena is depicted fighting against a Giant. Dated to ca. 520 B.C., when Peisistratos' sons embellished the old temple of Athena.
Relief of the "Mourning Athena". The goddess is clad in an Attic peplos with a belt and slightly bends her head towards the stele depicted in front of her. Dated to ca. 460 B.C. Inv. no. 695.
Section of the Parthenon frieze coming from the east part of the building. The relief representation depicts the gods Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Eros. Inv. no. 856.
Metope from the Parthenon. The relief comes from the south side of the building, where the metopes represented Centauromachy. In this scene a Centaur is shown seizing a Lapith woman. Inv. no. 705.