Τhe
Museum of Amphipolis
houses the material remains of the ancient city of
Amphipolis,
covering a time span from the prehistoric times down to the Byzantine period.
Findings brought to light during recent archaeological excavations are housed in its storage areas, and studied, classified and restored in its workshops.
The idea of the Museum originated with the distinguished archaeologist
Dimitris Lazaridis. As Eastern Macedonia's Curatior of Antiquities he promoted
the foundation, and later, as General Surveyor of Antiquities, the construction
of the Museum which would eventually house the fruits of the lengthy work of excavation
carried out at Amphipolis under his supervision between 1956 and 1984, with the
support of the Athens Archaeological Society and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.
The architectural planning of the Museum is made by A. Bakirtzis. Though work on the
Museum began in 1976, the building was finally completed in 1995.
Τhe exhibits are displayed in chronological order:
• Prehistoric period
• Early historical period
• Classical and Hellenistic periods
Sanctuaries
Public and private life
Cemeteries
• Roman Period
• Early Christian period
• Byzantine period
Τhe most important exhibits of the Museum are:
- Seal and figurines of the Neolithic period (6000-3000 BC) from the prehistoric settlement on a hill adjacent to the ancient city, known as Hill 133.
- Gold jewellery from the graves of the Kastas tumulus, which lies in the Amphipolis area.
- Incribed grave stele of Amyntas from the cemetery of Amphipolis. Dated to the 4th century BC.
- Gold coin (stater) of Alexander the Great.
- Terracotta female bust of a goddess from a hellenistic tomb of Amphipolis.
-
Silver ossuary containing a golden wreath of olive leaves.
- Golden wreath from a male burial. Dated to the 4th century BC.
- Head of Aphrodite. Roman copy of a Greek original of the 4th century BC.
- Ring stone depicting a warrior offering a libation in front of an altar. From a grave of Amphipolis of the roman period.
-
The stele with the "Ephebarchical Law" from the Gymnasium (23 BC). This law
concerned principles and regulations related to the education of adolescents between 16 and 18 years of age. It was inscribed on a stele, which bore on the upper zone
a relief representation of objects (amphora for oil, wreath, strigil etc.) associated with the activities of the adolescents in the Gymnasium.
-
Early Christian capital with sculptured busts of rams. From Basilica C of Amphipolis. Dated
to the 6th century AD.
- Golden solidus of the Byzantine emperor Justinian (527-565 AD).
- Fragment of mural painting from a chapel in the Strymon. Dated to the 12th-13th century AD.
