News
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Groundbreaking exhibition of new discoveries on display for the first time at the Ashmolean Museum
Heracles to Alexander the Great: Treasures from the Royal Capital of Macedon, a Hellenic Kingdom in the Age of Democracy - Until 29 August
In its first major archaeological exhibition, the Ashmolean is showing more than 500 treasures made of gold, silver and bronze, most of which are on display for the first time anywhere in the world. These recent finds were discovered in the royal burial tombs and the palace at Aegae, the ancient capital of Macedon. They rewrite the history of early Greece and tell the story of the royal court and the kings and queens of Macedon, descendants of Heracles whose rule culminated in the empire of Alexander the Great.
The royal city of Aegae, modern–day Vergina in northern Greece, was the first capital of Macedon, the seat of the Temenid kings who claimed descent from Heracles. They ruled from the mid–7th to the 4th century BC, and gave to Greece two of its most renowned heroes – King Philip II (382–336 BC) and his son, Alexander the Great (356–323 BC). Until 30 years ago, when excavations uncovered the untouched tombs of Philip II and his grandson Alexander IV, Aegae remained relatively unknown. Recent work at the site has continued to unearth a startling wealth of objects – from beautifully intricate gold jewellery, silverware and pottery, to sculpture, mosaic floors and architectural remains.
“It is a tremendous honour for the Ashmolean to be the first place where people can see the latest discoveries from Aegae,” Dr Christopher Brown, Director, Ashmolean Museum
.
The true extent of the wealth left behind at Vergina, has come to light with recent work in the last 20 years, making this exhibition an international first. On show will be the riches of the royal court, with gold wreaths and jewellery, silverware and pottery; weaponry and spectacular reconstructions of the burials of royal women. The exhibition takes visitors through the world of Macedonian men – in hunting and war; the life of women – in fashion and rituals; and the royal palace – with fragments of its architecture and objects of the banquet.
‘Heracles to Alexander the Great’ is a thrilling tour around the royal capital of the kingdom of Macedon, in the period which gave birth to some of the ancient world’s most famous names.
‘The most stunning loan exhibition ever to have come from Greece to Britain’, Robin Lane Fox, The Financial Times
‘The show of the summer’, The Sunday Telegraph
Exhibition tickets£8 / £6 concessions
Book now: http://www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/heracles/booking/
As part of the exhibition, visitors can enjoy a series of exciting events in the Ashmolean’s Greek Season, including:
• Lectures - Free lectures from a range of experts
• Evening Events - Theatre, Music, Cooking, Wine Tasting
• Daytime Activities - Workshops, Gallery Talks, Curator Led Tours, Lectures
• Greek Film Season - the Ashmolean Museum and the Phoenix Picturehouse have teamed up to present a season of Greek films, celebrating the history and beauty that Greece continues to offer
• Try the new Greek inspired menu with in the Ashmolean Dining Room at £20 for 2 courses and £25 for 3 courses
For more information about the events visit http://www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/heracles/events/
Photo: Gold head of Medusa from the linen cuirass of Philip II, 336 BC © Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism – Archaeological Receipt Fund.
