The museum was founded in 1960, when a large hall was built next to the High School,
to house the antiquities which until then were kept in the cells of the Katapoliani monastery. A second
hall was built at the end of the 1960's and further extension of the museum was resumed in the mid-90's.
The museum contains the following collections:
• Room A: Archaic and Classical sculpture
• Room B: Pottery, sculpture and small finds dating from the Neolithic to the Roman period.
• Atrium: Sculptures, architectural parts, urns, and a mosaic floor dating from the Roman period.
Among the most important exhibits of the museum are:
•
Marble statue of Gorgo.
The statue, preserved almost
intact
(height 1.35 m.), was the central acroterion of a temple. It was found in 1993, inside an ancient public building at Paroikia,
and dates from the mid-6th century BC.
• Two marble relief plaques from the Archilochos Monument. One depicts the
poet Archilochos on his death couch
and the other shows a
lion devouring a bull.
They were used as paving slabs in the floor of the atrium of the Katapoliani Church. Dated to the end of 6th century BC.
•
Colossal marble statue of Artemis.
It was found in the Delion of Paros and was the cult statue of the sanctuary, rendered as an Archaic kore wearing a chiton. Its total height
- with the plinth - is 2.74m. and it dates from 480-490 BC.
•
Marble statue of Nike
from the Kastro of Paroikia. The head, arms and wings are missing (preserved height 1.35m.). Dated to 470 BC.
•
Marble statue of an enthroned goddess.
The head and arms are missing (preserved height 1.57m.). Found by Loewy at Angeria of Paros, in 1885.
•
The Parian Chronicle.
One of the most significant exhibits of the museum and of particular historical interest. It is a large marble plate with an inscription referring to
events of Greek history and culture. Three large parts of it survive today, one in the Archaeological Museum of Paros and two in the Ashmolean
Museum in Oxford. It was written in 264 BC in the Attic dialect and in his 134 verses important persons, historical facts and natural phenomena of
the ancient years are cited, covering a period of 1,318 years.
• Archaic capital from the Archilochos Monument.
The marble Ionic capital crowned the votive column of the Heroon of Archilochos and preserves the inscription referring to the erection of
the monument by Dokimos in the 4th century BC. The capital and the inscription are dated to the 6th century BC.
• Neolithic female figurine found on the islet of Saliagos.
The woman is seated with crossed legs while the arms are bent below the breasts. Preserved height 0.055m.
