Athens, the southernmost capital on the European mainland, is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years.

According to Greek mythology the city was named after Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom. Classical Athens was one of the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece. It was a centre for democracy, the arts, education and philosophy, and was highly influential throughout the European continent, particularly in Ancient Rome. For this reason it is often regarded as the cradle of Western civilisation and the birthplace of democracy.
Planning for an archaeological museum began with the founding of the Kingdom of Greece. Once financing was secured, construction began in 1866. The main building was inaugurated in 1874, followed by the two side wings in 1881 and 1885.

In 2009, the museum was expanded by approximately 24,000 m² of exhibition space, allowing it to display over 2,000 additional ancient exhibits. The about 11,000 objects on display come from all regions of Greece, as all important finds were brought exclusively there until the 20th century, so it is considered one of the greatest museums in the world and contains the richest collection of Greek Antiquity artifacts worldwide.


The Vaphio Gold Cups
The cups were discovered in 1888 in a monumental tholos tomb at Vaphio, near Sparta. They feature relief scenes of bull-catching executed in the repoussé technique; the designs may be the work of different artists.

The right-hand cup
depicts the taming and capture of a bull using a decoy cow. It is sometimes attributed to Minoan art.

The left-hand cup
shows a dramatic scene in which a bull becomes entangled in a net and attacks hunters. This style is considered to be Mycenaean in character.

Two Creto Mycenaean Masterpieces

Mycenaean era, 15th BC