"Gargoyles & Graffiti"chronicles architectural elements that I find interesting or unique in my travels. Gargoyles are my passion, but today graffiti (which I hate but am learning to love as it is everywhere) is as much a part of architecture as the gargoyles and decorative railings that thrill me.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Archaeological Museum of Olympia: Home of the Gods

From the Archaeological Museum in Olympia


Our tour group visiting the Museum





Mr. Lamb taught Greek mythology at Regina High School, where I attended for the 9th and 10th grades.  I also took his photography classes and loved those. Can’t say the same for Greek mythology. I just didn’t get it. Too many names, too much drama, seemed almost like real life but more so. Little did I know that 38 years later I would be standing in front of the displays of the Archaeological Museum in Olympia, memorized by all the beautiful works.



It helped that I had gotten a BA in anthropology in the mean time, but my area of study was the Mayan Indians of Mexico and Guatemala. Needless to say though, the works in the museum in Olympia are some of the most impressive in the world.



Dedicated to Zeus, the father of both gods and men, and the father of the Olympics, I walked around this fabulous museum awe-struck. I must have taken photos of every display. Here are a few pieces I photographed. Enjoy!








Bronzes were especially exquisite




We arrived in Olympia on our Roman Empire cruise by way of Katakolon, Greece, a small port town. Other than souvenir shops and a few restaurants, there wasn't much there. Just get on a tour bus or take a taxi and head to Olympia, but let me give you a tip. The best of the best of Olympia is at the Archaeological Museum, so make sure you visit includes this. Below is some information for a good website on the Museum.


From Olympia Museum, and I quote:

"The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, one of the most important museums in Greece, presents the long history of the most celebrated sanctuary of antiquity, the sanctuary of Zeus, father of both gods and men, where the Olympic games were born. The museum's permanent exhibition contains finds from the excavations in the sacred precinct of the Altis dating from prehistoric times to the Early Christian period."


3 comments:

  1. Love to see more posts on this museum. You have more photos?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I do and I will post. Forgot about this. Thanks to remind me!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Reminder ... still waiting on more photos of the museum. Looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete