The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki ( el, Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης ) is a museum in

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...

Central Macedonia Central Macedonia ( el, Κεντρική Μακεδονία, Kentrikí Makedonía, ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece, consisting of the central part of the geographical and historical region of Macedonia. With a populat ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

. It holds and interprets artifacts from the

Prehistoric Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The us ...

, Archaic, Classical,

Hellenistic In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...

and

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...

periods, mostly from the city of Thessaloniki but also from the region of Macedonia in general.

The building and the exhibitions

The museum is housed in a building designed by architect Patroklos Karantinos and is an example of the modern architectural trends of Greece. Built in 1962, the museum had a new wing added to it in 1980, in which the findings from

Vergina Vergina ( el, Βεργίνα, ''Vergína'' ) is a small town in northern Greece, part of Veria municipality in Imathia, Central Macedonia. Vergina was established in 1922 in the aftermath of the population exchanges after the Treaty of Laus ...

were displayed, up until 1997. In 2001 and 2004, in the run-up to the

2004 Athens Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

, the museum was extensively renovated and its permanent exhibits reorganized. Harpocrates-Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum

The central rooms hold exhibits from the archaeological excavations conducted in Thessaloniki and the broader area of Macedonia. The new wing hosts two exhibitions: ''The Gold of

Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled ...

'', with artefacts from the cemeteries of

Sindos Sindos ( el, Σίνδος; la, Sindus; is a suburb of Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of Delta. Sindos is home to the main campus of the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki and the Industrial Zon ...

Agia Paraskevi Agia Paraskevi ( el, Αγία Παρασκευή, ''Agía Paraskeví'') is a suburb and a municipality in the northeastern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. It is part of the North Athens regional unit. Agia Paraskevi was named after the ...

Nea Filadelfia Nea Filadelfeia ( el, Νέα Φιλαδέλφεια, meaning ''New Philadelphia'') is a suburb of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filadelfeia-Chalkidona, of which it is the seat and a munici ...

, Makrygialos, Derveni, Lete,

Serres Sérres ( el, Σέρρες ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki. Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northe ...

, and

Evropos Evropos ( el, Ευρωπός), known before 1925 as Ashiklar ( el, Ασικλάρ) is a village and a former municipality in the former Paionia Province, Kilkis regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the munici ...

; and ''The Thessaloniki Area in Prehistory'', with material from

prehistoric Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The us ...

settlements, dating from the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...

to the Early and Late

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

. At present, the collection of Archaic to

Late Roman Late may refer to: * LATE, an acronym which could stand for: ** Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, a proposed form of dementia ** Local-authority trading enterprise, a New Zealand business law ** Local average treatment effe ...

sculptures from Thessaloniki and Macedonia in general is displayed in the central section of the museum. They illustrate the history of Thessaloniki from prehistoric times to Late Antiquity. These rooms display architectural members from an Ionic temple of the 6th century BC, sculptures of all periods from Macedonia, exhibits from the excavations in the palace complex built by

Galerius Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (; 258 – May 311) was Roman emperor from 305 to 311. During his reign he campaigned, aided by Diocletian, against the Sasanian Empire, sacking their capital Ctesiphon in 299. He also campaigned across th ...

in the Thessaloniki city centre, a reconstruction of the façade of the Macedonian tomb in Agia Paraskevi, with genuine architectural members, and finds (mainly gold artefacts) of the Archaic and Classical periods from the Sindos cemetery. In all these rooms, certain important exhibits have been singled out and further information about them is given to help visitors appreciate the importance of each exhibit and of the area and the period from which it comes. Apart from its permanent displays, the Archaeological Museum also hosts major temporary and thematic exhibitions. In the Manolis Andronikos Room, for instance, there is an exhibition titled ''The Coins of Macedonia from the 6th Century to 148 BC'', with examples of coins that were circulating in Macedonia in that period. A showcase in the lobby of the museum displays some finds from the excavation of the Neolithic settlement at Makrygialos in Pieria, accompanied by information about the progress of the excavation. In the new wing, the ''Gold of Macedon'' exhibition includes finds from numerous excavations in

. Taking the history of gold as its central theme, it presents the culture of Macedonia from the 6th century BC to 148 BC, discussing the use of gold (jewellery, sartorial decoration, gilding of objects and vessels, coins), the technology of the manufacture of gold jewellery, and the techniques of gold mining. There are also numerous finds from cemeteries and there are many descriptions about their role in burial customs. The ''Thessaloniki in Prehistory'' exhibition aims to recreate a picture of the

Thermaic Gulf The Thermaic Gulf (), also called the Gulf of Salonika and the Macedonian Gulf, is a gulf constituting the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. The city of Thessaloniki is at its northeastern tip, and it is bounded by Pieria Imathia and Lariss ...

littoral before the city of Thessaloniki was built. It presents the first excavations, which were carried out during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

by British and French troops, and finds from the most important prehistoric settlements in the area (Thermi, Vassilika, Stavroupoli, Oraiokastro, Assiros, Toumba, and Kastana) divided into three chronological groups (Neolithic, Early and Late Bronze Age).

Discovery of possible original statue of Alexander

On 26 February 2010, Greek authorities arrested two men found in illegal possession of various antiquities, including a bronze statue of Alexander, which is possibly a work of

Lysippos Lysippos (; grc-gre, Λύσιππος) was a Greek sculptor of the 4th century BC. Together with Scopas and Praxiteles, he is considered one of the three greatest sculptors of the Classical Greek era, bringing transition into the Hellenistic p ...

. If confirmed, this would make it the first original work of Lysippos ever discovered. The statue is currently being examined at the laboratory of the museum, which is expected to confirm or deny its authenticity.

Notable exhibits

Derveni krater The Derveni Krater is a volute krater, the most elaborate of its type, discovered in 1962 in a tomb at Derveni, not far from Thessaloniki, and displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Weighing 40 kg, it is made of a bronze wi ...

* The statue of

Harpocrates Harpocrates ( grc, Ἁρποκράτης, Phoenician: 𐤇𐤓𐤐𐤊𐤓𐤈, romanized: ḥrpkrṭ, ''harpokrates'') was the god of silence, secrets and confidentiality in the Hellenistic religion developed in Ptolemaic Alexandria (and also ...

(2nd century AD) * The Head of

Serapis Serapis or Sarapis is a Graeco-Egyptian deity. The cult of Serapis was promoted during the third century BC on the orders of Greek Pharaoh Ptolemy I Soter of the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt as a means to unify the Greeks and Egyptians in his r ...

(2nd century BC) * Bronze helmet and gold mask (cemetery of

, end of 6th century BC) * Marble door (Macedonia tomb of Agia Paraskevi) * Copy of "Unveiling"

Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols incl ...

(421/420 BC) * Gold medals (250–225 BC) * Inlaid floors (mosaic) * Gold diadems, gold disks and gold

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

heads (350-325 BC) * Derveni Papyrus (end of 5th century BC)

Gallery

File:Greek red figure pottery, Thermi, 4th century B.C., Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.jpg, Red figure pottery (4th BC) File:The Macedonian tomb of Aghia Paraskevi (8726714412).jpg, Facade of an ancient Macedonian tomb (4th BC); 6.5m long, 4m wide and 4.8m high File:Thessaloniki-ancient inscription.png, Inscription reading: "To Queen Thessalonike, (Daughter) of

Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who populariz ...

" File:Temple of Aphrodite.jpg, Restored parts from the Temple of Aphrodite, located in Thessaloniki, almost completely buried File:Gold diadem consisting of 8 lyre-shaped sections, decorated with acanthus leaves, tendrills and palmettes (8725637496).jpg, Gold diadem consisting of 8 lyre-shaped sections, decorated with acanthus leaves, tendrills and palmettes (320-300 BC) File:The Derveni krater, late 4th century B.C., Pentheus dressed as an armed hunter, Archaeological Museum, Thessaloniki, Greece (7457876666).jpg, The

Derveni Krater The Derveni Krater is a volute krater, the most elaborate of its type, discovered in 1962 in a tomb at Derveni, not far from Thessaloniki, and displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Weighing 40 kg, it is made of a bronze wi ...

(vase for mixing wine and water) File:Archaeological Museum, Thessaloniki, Greece (7457766802).jpg, Macedonian coins File:Macedonian Museums-89-Arx Thessaloniknhs-401.jpg, Exhibition of the "Gold of Macedon" File:Macedonian Army Helmet - Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki by Joy of Museums.jpg, Macedonian helmet File:Golden leaf crown of ancient macedonian origin, Thessaloniki, Greece.jpg, Macedonian golden wreath File:Archaeological Museum, Thessaloniki, Greece (7457758172).jpg, Another golden wreath File:Bronze calyx krater with attached base and plinth (8725590384).jpg, Bronze calyx krater File:Bronze figurines of Hermes and Heracles (8727839931).jpg, Bronze figurines of Hermes and Heracles File:Votaive plaque, 1st c. BC (8728673777).jpg, Votaive plaque (1st BC) File:Archäologisches Museum Thessaloniki (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης) (47831734911).jpg, Marble statue of Augustus (Roman period) File:Archäologisches Museum Thessaloniki (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης) (47831735061).jpg,

Epona In Gallo-Roman religion, Epona was a protector of horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. She was particularly a goddess of fertility, as shown by her attributes of a patera, cornucopia, ears of grain and the presence of foals in some sculptures ...

, patroness of horses. Celtic goddess, may have been introduced in Thessaloniki by Galerius File:Funerary relief depicting a family (8725742747).jpg, Funerary relief depicting a family (1st AD) File:Archäologisches Museum Thessaloniki (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης) (33954454918).jpg, Philosopher (150-60 AD) File:Archaeological Museum, Thessaloniki, Greece (7457567872).jpg, Marble statue of

Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...

(2nd AD) File:Archäologisches Museum Thessaloniki (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης) (33954449428).jpg, Head thought to be a portrait of

Alexander The Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...

(175-200 AD) File:Dionysiac composition, possibly from the floor of the formal room of a wealthy house (200-250 A.D.) (8726807570).jpg, Dionysiac composition (200-250 AD) File:Archäologisches Museum Thessaloniki (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης) (47831741991).jpg, Head of an old man (3rd AD) File:Archäologisches Museum Thessaloniki (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης) (47831741121).jpg, Mosaic depicting "Winter" (3rd AD)

References

External links

Official website of the Museum in English

Official website of the Museum

Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

in Greek

Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki - Ebook by Latsis Foundation
{{Authority control Museums established in 1962

Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki ( el, Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης ) is a museum in Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece. It holds and interprets artifacts from the Prehistoric, Archaic, Classical ...