Europe 2011

Athens: National Archaeological Museum

		The National Archaeological Museum is a treasure trove of ancient Greece, with excellent explanations in Greek and English. For obvious reasons, many of the objects are rather battered. †
		The head of an athlete. *
		Antinoos, the favourite of Emperor Hadrian. *
		Venus being modest. †
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		Hercules being immodest. †
		A satyr wearing rather more clothing than is usual in such statues. †
		The Emperor Augustus: not a person to be trifled with. *
		Three anonymous statues. †
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		Again the stelae were touching, with their scenes of farewell. †
		The seated woman is saying farewell to her family. †
		The famous bull's head rhyton (libation jug). *
		The real Mask of Agamemnon: the one we saw in Mycenae was a copy. *
		The boxing children fresco from Knossos in Crete. *
		But the highlight was this twice-life-size bronze statue of Zeus throwing a thunder-bolt. †
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Go back to the page of other things in Athens.