Remarkable antiquities from a radiant Greek civilization take center stage in the new exhibition, “Pylos of Nestor: A Mycenaean Kingdom Revealed,” opening this Monday at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
Running until the end of October, the temporary exhibition features several world-class treasures. Among the highlights is the famed combat agate sealstone from the unlooted “Griffin Warrior” shaft grave in Pylos—widely considered one of the most important artistic masterpieces of Aegean prehistory. Visitors will also get a rare look at the only known crown from the Mycenaean world (and one of the oldest in existence), discovered in Messinia, as well as the famous “Tablet of the Tripods,” which famously confirmed Michael Ventris’ decipherment of the Linear B script.
This Athens showcase marks the final stop of an international tour, following successful runs at the Archaeological Museum of Messinia and the J. Paul Getty Museum.
However, this iteration is more than just a repeat performance. Through a fresh curatorial approach and enriched narrative perspectives, the Athens exhibition places a unique emphasis on the process of archaeological discovery itself.
“Our primary objective is not only to display the findings, but also to connect them with the excavation work behind them,” Konstantinos Nikolentzos, Deputy Director General of the National Archaeological Museum, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).
“We want to bring the public closer to the post-excavation research and link these artefacts with the people who discovered them. In this sense, the exhibition can also be ‘read’ as an excavation diary.”
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