Delos Museum

Museums | Museums in Greece | Museums Worldwide

Delos (Prefecture of Kiklades)

Telephone: +30 22890 22259

Fax: +30 22890 23413

Email: efakyk@culture.gr

Open
Summer:
Archaeological Site of Delos: (1th of April till 31st of Αυgust 2016) 08:00-20:00, Monday to Sunday

(September) 8:00-20:00
Archaeological Museum of Delos:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday: 08:00-19:00 and
Saturday, Monday: 08:00-15:00

The Archaeological Museum of Delos (Greek: Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Δήλου) is a museum on the island of Delos, near Mykonos in the South Aegean, Greece. It is noted for its extensive collection of statues unearthed in the surrounding area of the ancient site, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the museum has a considerable collection, it does not contain all of the items found in Delos: a large quantity are on display in Athens at the National Archaeological Museum.

In 1872, the French School at Athens began excavating on Delos, in a project on a massive scale, which is still ongoing today.

As the collection accumulated, the museum was built on-site in 1904 by the Archaeological Society of Athens to accommodate the archaeological discoveries. Its original five rooms went underwent expansion in 1931 and then again in 1972 to nine rooms.

Display

The museum's notable collection of funerary statues and grave stelae ranging from the 7th to the 1st century BC form the bulk of the collection. Its ancient pottery collection dates from the 25th to the 1st century BC, while the clay figurines, jewellery and mosaics conserved in the museum date back to the 2nd-1st centuries BC. Six rooms contain the statues and reliefs found in Delos;,two rooms contain the pottery and another room contains items used in everyday life in ancient Greece.

Alabastron, Artemis with swans, find from Heraion. Corinthian production, 620-600 BC.

Of major note is an ivory plaque which dates to 1400-1200 BC that depicts a Mycenaean soldier clad with a helmet made from wild boar teeth with defensive shield and spear. It was discovered at Artemision along with other gold, ivory and bronze items. The museum has a 5th-century marble statue of Boreas which portrays the infamous kidnapping of the Athenian princess Oreitheia and marble statues of Dioskourides and his wife Kleopatra, who lived on Delos island. The statues, which were unearthed at their former residence, date from 138 BC, according to the inscription on the base, which indicates they were erected by Cleopatra in order to honour her husband, who dedicated two silver tripods to the temple of Apollo.

Kore with peplos, Parian work, 580 BC. Found in the Temple of Apollo at Delos.

The marble statue of Apollo after a Praxitelean model depicts the god inclining on a tree and striding on a bundle of Gallic shields and is believed to date back to the 2nd century BC. A bearded bronze mask of Dionysos that depicts the god wearing a crown and an ivy garland was discovered at the Market of the Competaliasts and is believed to date to the same period as the Apollo.

Mosaic depicting King Lycurgus of Thrace killing Ambrosia (2nd BC)

The Delos Archaeological Museum also contains the torso of a kouros of the 6th century BC, and an inscribed triangular base of another kouros statue found in the Sanctuary of Apollo dated to the 7th century BC; it is decorated with the head of a ram on one corner and gorgon's heads on the other two. The inscription engraved on one side says: "Euthycartides the Naxian made me and dedicated me".

Silenus, the tutor of Dionysos

There is a set of large lion statues which are originals; of those reproduced outside on the Delos site. There is a Corinthian alabastron, which is a small, perfumed oil container with an artistic depiction of Potnia Theron, the lady of the beasts and protectress of hunting, among two swans. It was discovered in the Heraion along with similar Corinthian vases dating to the end of the 7th century BC. The Delos Archaeological Museum also has an archaic statue of a woman, found in the Sanctuary of Apollo dated to 580 BC. The statue represents a young woman standing, dressed in a tight peplos decorated in front with an incised vertical double meander. There is also a valuable fresco taken from the exterior wall of a house in the Skardana Quarter, depicting Heracles, two boxers and a man playing a flute or trumpet. The inscription which says "Kalamodrya" is believed to refer to the prominent boxer of the 1st century BC.

From Mythological sibling Apollo and Artemis the new DELOS, will be designed as a symmetrical aspect value due to the equilateral mythic triangle of the DELTA: symbol of Delos.

The Cyclades and archeological Museum is also an allegory to the Mythology of Greece.

The Cyclopes also name the Giants, created the Delos archipelagos of Mykonos by throwing giant stone on the Island.

This granite stone and rocks are the true symbols of energy.

The geological composition of Delos is composed of those three energy minerals: the quartz, the mica, and the feldspar.

The equilateral triangle will be lined up with a North South axe, which will protect the entrance museum from the Melthem North East strong and cold wind

The Museum Architecture:

5000 Sqm of livable space with a maximum length of 100 meters that will be divided in three volumes.

The higher will have a height of 20 meters on which 3 to 5 meters will be under the ground level.

The ground level is very important because it is the reflexion of the existing ground of ancient Delos buried with time and destruction, as only 10 percent of the site has been yet discover.

The Museum design:

– One main Museum entrance.

– One exit.

– One Delivery entrance for antiques discovery of archeologists, with a local restaurant and a cafe, stores, and museum archeological staff archeologist, guard, and local staff members.

The main concept is to access and exit the Museum of Delos with three long concrete slabs bridges over a reservoir that will collect mostly rainy water during the winter and drainage in the ground.

The construction of the Museum will be built with a reinforce concrete vault as the location of the Museum is in a very high density seismic location as we are in the epic enter of the Cycladic Island. Museum discovery will have to be strongly protected.

The concrete vault ceiling will also protected the content of the Museum from heat and will be high enough to have a sense of a natural astrological vault so important in the Ancient Greece.

Mathematicians, astrologers, historians, philosophers will all agreed that the high volume is the important criteria of the Museum ceiling and vault.

The stone-Rock aspect and the architecture:

Based on an organically symbolic aspect of constructivism the epicenter of the Delos Museum will the spiral stair coming from the lower floor to the upper floor.

Gradually the steps will enlarge and the second floor will be accessible with a large ramp, to make it easier for tourist walking to the second floor.

Show case shops and window displays will distract the tourist.

The Architectural Materials:

The concrete vault will be covered with stone and local vegetal will eat up the structure and blend in the environment.

Large glass triangular opening will be located on the higher part of the vault to capture the light.

Light in Delos is supposed to be the strongest light of the World with Easter Island in the South Pacific.

Smaller size opening will be at eye level In order to be visible at any time from the inside of the Museum, looking at the site archeological contest.

The floor stone is in rough marble, and any existing foot print of local archeological remains will be kept at original location to preserve site harmony and archeological historical respect.

The Contemporary Design Elements:

In order to be an active contemporary museum all displays of monument recovered or replace in context will have the possibility of being digitalized and re-constructed in 3 D image and projected on a screen in order to reflect the reality of the past.

Light effect through out the Museum will be allowed through a light show.

The North Wing

-A restaurant.

-A coffee shop.

-A boutique , craftsman jewelery, bookstore store will be located on the north west side opening on a large patio overlooking the museum.

A ” mise en scene ” will act a representation of a reconstruction temple with architectural elements.

The East Wing

A mezzanine -amphitheater with 250 seats will be located in the east side.

The height of the theater will be 17 m high.

An interactive theater cine-panorama with projection on screen and the total vault to re-created a global site environment..

Performance , and historical film of Delos will be presented to group and audience.

The South Wing

The Apollo main atrium will unveiled a reconstructed huge site model in order to view the way it was

The Lion gallery facing the way it should be the inside of the museum will be located in front of the huge 3D model and to guard the Museum.

The South Entrance

A bridge will cross the tank reservoir to the Museum.

The triangular Delta door will welcome all the Tourist in front a very contemporary registration desk in glass with show cases of antique discoveries .

The main entrance with to footprint of old coins of the owners of the new sanctuary Apollo and Artemis, will be posted as medallion on the entrance pavement.