English Section Greek Section Company Profile Our Philosophy Testimonials Contact Info Email Us Employment Homepage
Gift Registries Greece Guides Cultural Sites
Greek Islands
Greek Destinations
Search Destinations
Find Hotel
Name
Search
Outgoing packages
Athens (Attica) | Attica | Athens City

National Archaeological Museum of Athens - Prehistoric Collection

The New York Times has recently (April 2008) published an article on Athens. In it there is a reference to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens: "In neighboring Exarcheia, the renovated National Archaeological Museum (Patission 44; 30-210-821-7724) has classical sculptures and gold treasures from Mycenae". We think of this reference as being the Understatement of the century!

 Athens National Archaeological Museum:
Exhibit 624. Gold death-mask, known as
the 'mask of Agamemnon'. (Grave V,
Grave Circle A, Mycenae, 16th century BC)

This is because the Greek National Archaeological Museum in Athens is rightfully considered to be not only the most important, yet also one of the richest archaeological museums in the world in terms of containing Ancient Greek Art! Please refer to the relevant Album as proof of how much right we are!

The Greek National Archaeological Museum is housed in a neoclassical building designed by the noted German architect Ernst Ziller in 1889. It houses perhaps the most impressive collection of ancient Greek treasures in the world. The neoclassical design of the exterior tries its best to keep up with the true Greek classic style of the works it houses. This museum includes the golden so-called "Mask of Agamemnon", excavated by Heinrich Schliemann at ancient Mycenae, the bronze "boy jockey" of Artemision that somehow stayed in great condition despite being fished out of the sea, and a range of excellent sculptures, pottery, furniture and jewellery.

Further wonderful inclusions are:

  • Prehistoric items/Ruins
  • Sculpture
  • Pottery and Minor art
  • Bronzes
  • Egyptian Art

Operating Hours are as follows:
Monday 13.00-19.30
Tuesday-Sunday 08.30-15.00

Telephone Contact: 210/821-7717 Address: 44, 28th Oktovriou (Patission) Ave, Athens, Greece


Note: Given the huge number of exhibits, this album on the National Archaeological Museum of Athens is progressing step by step: Please visit this Album from time to time to see it growing!
(Photos: Michael Tziotis)

Select Page of the Album:


Click on any of the pictures to enlarge.

Gallery IV / Mycenaean Civilization / Mycenae / Grave Circle A / Jewelry from Graves IV and V, 16th century BC.

An introductory text on MYCENAE’S GRAVE CIRCLE A is to be found in a previous album page, "Gallery IV / Mycenaean Civilization / Mycenae / Grave Circle A / Finds from Graves I, II and VI, 16th century BC". Please refer to this page to also have a brief description of the finds in all six graves belonging to Grave Circle A.

Shaft Grave IV
It is conspicuous by its wealth and size. It contained three male and two female inhumations. Two of the deceased were placed on a north-south axis, contrary to the more common east-west axis. The three gold death masks are the par excellence male burial accoutrements. One male burial also had a gold breastplate. This grave contained precious gold, silver and stone vases, ritual rhytons (libation vases), either with intricate decoration, or in the shape of animals, large bronze vessels and numerous weapons, including a beautiful dagger with an inlaid lion hunt scene. The deceased were adorned with gold diadems, numerous pieces of gold jewelry, a variety of cut-out foil ornaments, and belts or straps.
Shaft Grave V
It contained three male burials. Two of the deceased wore gold death-masks, one of which is known as the “Mask Of Agamemnon”, a conventional name, since it is dated four hundred years earlier than the Trojan War. The grave gifts included gold breastplates, elaborate bronze swords and daggers with inlaid decoration, gold and silver vessels, an ostrich egg rhyton with applied faïence dolphins, and a wooden hexagonal pyxis with gold revetment. There was less gold jewelry than in the female graves, but a great number of amber beads.



Athens National Archaeological Museum: Gallery IV / Grave Circle A / Jewelry from Graves IV and V, Mycenae, 16th century BC. (General Photo of Window)

Athens National Archaeological Museum: Gallery IV / Grave Circle A / Jewelry from Graves IV and V, Mycenae, 16th century BC. (General Photo of Window)
229. Gold diadems with applied floral plaques. 232. Gold diadems with repoussé circles and rosettes. Grave IV.

229. Gold diadems with applied floral plaques. 232. Gold diadems with repoussé circles and rosettes. Grave IV.
230. Gold diadem with applied floral plaques; 235, 286. Gold diadems with repoussé circles and rosettes. Grave IV.

230. Gold diadem with applied floral plaques; 235, 286. Gold diadems with repoussé circles and rosettes. Grave IV.
234. Gold diadem with repoussé circles and rosettes; 242. Gold cut-outs depicting tripartite shrines crowned with horns of consecration and birds. Bottom: 353-354. Gold cut-outs in the shape of bovine heads crowned by double axes. Grave IV.

234. Gold diadem with repoussé circles and rosettes; 242. Gold cut-outs depicting tripartite shrines crowned with horns of consecration and birds. Bottom: 353-354. Gold cut-outs in the shape of bovine heads crowned by double axes. Grave IV.


Also exhibits 235, 286 shown also in the previous photo
236-239, 233, 287, 231. Gold diadems

236-239, 233, 287, 231. Gold diadems


From top to bottom: 236-239. Elegant gold diadem with fastening loops and dotted decoration. Three diamond-shaped pendants hang from chains. / 233, 287, 231. Gold diadems with repoussé circles and rosettes. Grave IV. (Item 274, shown at the bottom, is photographed separately)
The diadem 236-239 photographed independently. Grave IV.

The diadem 236-239 photographed independently. Grave IV.
386-387. Gold octopus-shaped cut-outs. Grave IV.

386-387. Gold octopus-shaped cut-outs. Grave IV.
268-269. Gold foil in a form conventionally dubbed 'knee plates' because most were found near the knees of the deceased. Grave IV.

268-269. Gold foil in a form conventionally dubbed 'knee plates' because most were found near the knees of the deceased. Grave IV.
267, 270. More 'knee plates'  Grave IV.

267, 270. More 'knee plates' Grave IV.
271. More 'knee plates'  Grave IV.

271. More 'knee plates' Grave IV.
255-256. Gold belts or sword straps with repoussé rosettes and circles. Grave IV.

255-256. Gold belts or sword straps with repoussé rosettes and circles. Grave IV.
257-258. Gold belts or sword straps with repoussé rosettes and circles. Grave IV.

257-258. Gold belts or sword straps with repoussé rosettes and circles. Grave IV.
274. Gold bi-conical pin head with a representation of lions and griffins, and filigree decoration. Grave ΙV.

274. Gold bi-conical pin head with a representation of lions and griffins, and filigree decoration. Grave ΙV.
640. Large gold rosettes with repoussé decoration. Grave V.

640. Large gold rosettes with repoussé decoration. Grave V.
Buttons

Buttons


Gold circular buttons with engraved spiral decoration. Most of them covered bone buttons and were fastened to precious garments. Graves IV and V.
Buttons

Buttons


Gold diamond-shaped buttons with engraved decoration. Graves IV and V.
Buttons

Buttons


Gold diamond-shaped buttons with engraved decoration. (Detail)

Select Page of the Album: