Delos Museum was built in 1904 by the Archaeological Society at Athens
and originally consisted of the five western rooms. It was enlarged in 1931 and 1972 and
in the same period, the exterior of the building underwent great, but unfortunately inadequate
alterations. The present exhibition is arranged in nine rooms. Six rooms contain the statues
and reliefs found on Delos (one of the best collections in the world), two rooms contain pottery
ranging from the prehistoric times to the Late Hellenistic period, and the last one contains
various objects of everyday life, found in the private houses of the site.
The Collections:
• Funerary statues and grave stelae ranging from the 7th to the 1st century BC
• Pottery ranging from the 25th to the 1st century BC
• Clay figurines dating from the 2nd-1st centuries BC
• Jewellery and small objects dating from the 2nd-1st centuries BC
• Mosaics of the 2nd-1st centuries BC
Among the most important exhibits of the museum are:
•
Ivory plaque (no. B.7069),
representing a Mycenaean warrior in relief. He is carrying an 8-shaped shield and a long spear and has on a helmet made of wild boar's teeth. The plaque was found under the Artemision,
along with other ivory, gold and bronze objects and was probably used for the decoration of wooden furniture. Dated to 1400-1200 BC.
•
Torso of a kouros (no. A.4083).
It was found in the sanctuary of Apollo and most probably was the product of a Parian workshop. Dated to the middle of the 6th century BC.
•
Marble statue of Boreas (no. A.4287).
The figure is the personification of the north wind, abducting the Athenian princess Oreithya. It was the central acroterion of the east pediment of the temple dedicated by the Athenians in 417
BC. A good example of the Attic sculpture, dated to the end of the 5th century BC.
•
Marble statues of Dioscourides and Kleopatra
(nos. A.7763 and A.7799),
an Athenian couple living on Delos. They were found inside the couple's house, in the Theatre Quarter and, according to the inscription on the base, were erected by Kleopatra in 138 BC in
order to honour her husband who dedicated two silver tripods to the temple of Apollo.
•
Marble statue of Apollo (no. A.4124).
It follows the type of Apollo Lyceios, which is attributed to the great sculptor Praxiteles. The god is represented leaning on a tree and stepping on a heap of Gallic shields. It is probably a smaller
copy of the statue dedicated to Delphi to commemorate a victory against the Galls who attacked the Delphic Sanctuary in 279/278 BC. It was found in a private house in the Theatre Quarter
and dates from the 2nd century BC.
•
Bronze mask of Dionysos (no. B.7540).
The bearded god is wearing a diadem and an ivy wreath. It was found south of the Market of the Competaliasts and most likely was a votive offering. Dated to the 2nd century BC.
•
Corinthian "alabastron" (no. B.6192).
Small, perfumed-oil container, decorated with a representation of "Potnia Theron" (Lady of the beasts, Protectress of hunting), among two swans. It was found in the Heraion along with many
other similar vases and is a characteristic example of the Corinthian pottery production during the end of the 7th century BC.
• Inscribed triangular base of a kouros statue (no. A.728)
decorated with the head of a ram on one corner and Gorgo's heads on the other two. The dedicatory boustrophedon insription is engraved on one side: "Euthycartides the Naxian made me
and dedicated me". It was found in the Sanctuary of Apollo and dates from the second half of the 7th century BC.
• Archaic statue of a young woman (kore) (no. A.4062).
It was found in the Sanctuary of Apollo and is one of the oldest surviving specimens of large-scale sculpture. The young woman is represented standing, dressed in a tight peplos decorated in
front with an incised vertical double maeander. Parian work dated to ca. 580 BC.
• Wall-painting (no. Β.17613) from the exterior wall of a house in Skardana Quarter.
It bears the representation of Heracles, two boxers and another man playing the flute or a trompet. The iscription KALAMODRYA[C] probably refers to a famous boxer of the 1st century BC.
