The National Archaeological Museum in Athens brings you face-to-face with history through its exceptional collection of gold objects from Mycenae, the city of mainland Greece that dominated the region between 1400-1200 BC.

Here is that famous gold mask that led Heinrich Schillemann, who excavated Mycenae to telegraph the King of Greece 'I have looked upon the face of Agamemnon'. This expressive mask of a bearded ruler (who may have been Agamemnon) is one of those gold portraits preserved untarnished from antiquity that is completely compelling (like that of King Tutankhamun in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo). It is a reminder of gold's importance as a symbol of great power nearly 3,500 years ago. Two more gold death masks of other rulers were found in the same grave circle at Mycenae, and now rest beside 'Agamemnon' in Athens.

The graves yielded other astonishing gold treasures; the embossed head of a lion, the silver head of a bull with gold nose, horns and rosette on its forehead, and bronze daggers with inlaid ornamentation of gold showing men confronting a lion. A princess's diadem, its headband and radiating leaves finely embossed, was in another shaft. Gold rings, widely used as seals, depict life and customs in Mycenean society. One shows a leave-taking with passengers embarking on a ship, another has a religious theme with a goddess sitting on a folding chair as lion-headed figures present her with libation vessels, and a third, a man in combat with a lion. Gold drinking cups embossed with animals and trees are also on show. All told, a unique record in gold of an ancient civilisation.

National Archaeological Museum
Patission 44 St
Athens 10682
Greece

Tel.     +30 1 821 7717 or 821 7724
Fax     +30 1 821 3573
e-mail  protocol@eam.culture.gr
Web    www.culture.gr (lists all main Greek museums)
           
Open

Summer  Monday 12.30 - 21.00
              Tuesday to Sunday 8 - 19.00
Winter     Monday 10.30 - 17.00
              Tuesday to Sunday 8.30 - 15.00