Delphi Archaeological Museum
Encyclopedia
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Its centerpiece are the antiquities found in the complex of the ancient Oracle of Delphi from the 18th century BC when the oracle was founded to its decline in Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
. Its exhibits are mainly offerings to the oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
and architectural parts of the buildings.
History of the museum
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
was built in 1903 based on the plans of the French architect Albert Tournaire and funded by the banker and philanthropist Andreas Syngros
Andreas Syngros
Andreas Syngros was a Greek banker from Istanbul, at the time known internationally as Constantinople, and a philanthropist.Born in Istanbul to Chiot parents, Syngros was one of the founders of the Bank of Constantinople along with Stephanos Skouloudis. Syngros married Iphigenia Mavrokordatou of...
and was later modified to a larger two-storeyed construction in 1958 based on the architectural designs of renowned museum architect Patroklos Karantinos
Patroklos Karantinos
Patroklos Karantinos was a notable Greek architect of early modernism in Greece.Karantinos studied architecture in Athens and then went to France, where he studied with Auguste Perret....
. The extension in 1938 was necessary in order to accommodate the growing collection of antiquities found at the excavations by the École française d'Athènes and of their Greek counterparts in the later years . In 1975, the museum was enriched with the chryselephantine objects that were recently excavated along the ancient sacred way of the oracle complex. In 1974, a new room was added for the exhibition of the gold and ivory finds from the sanctuary . The final arrangement of the exhibits was finalised in 1980. The museum was enlarged and refurbished in 1999 by the Greek Ministry of Culture according to the latest museological standards. A new modern facade, a new lobby, a cafeteria and a gift shop with replicas of the antiquities were also created .
Collections
- TreasuryTreasuryA treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
of SifnosSifnosSifnos is an island municipality in the Cyclades island group in Greece. The main town, near the center, is known as Apollonia home of the island's folklore museum and library. The town's name is thought to come from an ancient temple of Apollo on the site of the church of Panayia Yeraniofora... - TreasuryTreasuryA treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
of AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... - Hellenistic art sculptures
- PedimentPedimentA pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s of the temple of ApolloApolloApollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
Highlights
- Charioteer of DelphiCharioteer of DelphiThe Charioteer of Delphi, also known as Heniokhos , is one of the best-known statues surviving from Ancient Greece, and is considered one of the finest examples of ancient bronze statues. The life-size statue of a chariot driver was found in 1896 at the Sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi...
- OmphalosOmphalosAn omphalos is an ancient religious stone artifact, or baetylus. In Greek, the word omphalos means "navel" . According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus sent out two eagles to fly across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world...
- Kleobis and BitonKleobis and BitonKleobis and Biton are the names of two human brothers in Greek mythology. It is also the name conventionally given to a pair of lifesize Archaic Greek statues, or kouroi, which are now in the Delphi Archaeological Museum, at Delphi Greece...
- PedimentPedimentA pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s from the Temple of ApolloTemple of ApolloTemple of Apollo can refer to:*Greece**Temple of Apollo, Corinth**Temple of Apollo **Temple of Apollo at Bassae**Temple of Apollo Patroos*Cyprus**Temple of Apollo Hylates, Limassol*Italy**Temple of Apollo Palatinus, in Rome... - The SphinxSphinxA sphinx is a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head or a cat head.The sphinx, in Greek tradition, has the haunches of a lion, the wings of a great bird, and the face of a woman. She is mythicised as treacherous and merciless...
of Naxos - AcanthusAcanthus (ornament)The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
column with dancers - ChryselephantineChryselephantineChryselephantine is a term that refers to the sculptural medium of gold and ivory...
sculpture of ApolloApolloApollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology... - AgiasAgiasAgias or Hagias was an ancient Greek poet, whose name was formerly written Augias through a mistake of the first editor of the Excerpta of Proclus. This misreading was corrected by Friedrich Thiersch, from the Codex Monacensis, which in one passage has "Agias", and in another "Hagias"...
of Pharsala - The White kylix of Delphi represents ApolloApolloApollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
offering a libation - Statue of a Bull
- BronzeBronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
incense-burner