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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-10-06
CONTENTS
[01] Cycladic Art Museum turns 30 with special exhibition on life in
the archipelago 5,000 years ago
[01] Cycladic Art Museum turns 30 with special exhibition on life in
the archipelago 5,000 years ago
A unique exhibition on daily life in the islands of the Cyclades
archipelago before five millenia will open its doors at the Museum of
Cycladic Art in late November, marking the 30 anniversary since the
museum's foundation. The exhibition is entitled "Cycladic Society:
5,000 years ago" and explores aspects of day to day life, such as
the structure of Protocycladic societies, their beliefs, occupations,
hierarchy and their natural environment.
Many things about this time are shrouded in mystery, due to the absence of
written records, but as museum director Prof. Nikos Stampolidis pointed
out, there is still a lot of valuable information that can provide clues
and be interpreted.
"For the museum's 30th anniversary, I proposed a teaching exhibition
that shows what Protocycladic society was really like; it has been
misunderstood because its art has been associated mainly with artists
of the 20th and 21st century. This happens because until now we have
no written reports, not from inscriptions, nor in documents. Only the
Cycladic art stands as a silent witness, helping us read a writing that
did not exist for their society," Stampolidis said.
The exhibition will include items from the museum's own collection, as
well as 138 Cycladic antiquities on loan from the National Archaeological
Museum, the Kanellopoulos Museum and the archaeological museums of Naxos,
Apeiranthos, Paros and Syros, after the Central Archaeological Council
gave the all clear.
In addition to the many Cycladic idols reflecting all periods and
expressions of art in prehistoric island society, the Apeiranthos Museum
will also contribute two rock paintings, one depicting a ceremonial
dance and the second a hunt. The exhibition will be further enriched
by ceramic and ceremonial vessels, animal figurines, pyxis (jewellery
boxes), jewellery, bronze hooks, bone pins, shells and pottery spindles.
The exhibition will run until March 2017.
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