Old Greek civilization comes alive at exhibition

Old Greek civilization comes alive at exhibition

By Rita A. Widiadana

JAKARTA (JP): Modern-day Greece has always been associated
with celebrities such as the late shipping magnate Aristotle
Onassis, opera singer Maria Callas and the flamboyant Andreas
Papandareou.

Forget these names. Jakartans will likely learn more about
the country's centuries-old civilization through a rare
exhibition at the National Museum.

Constatinos Drakakis, charge d'affairs of the Greek Embassy to
Indonesia, said the exhibition, to be opened by Indonesian
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro tomorrow,
is a cultural exchange between Greece and several Asian
countries.

"In the past, we had a close relationship with a large number
of Asian countries. Now we want to boost those ties through
cultural activities," said Drakakis.

To realize this, the Greek Ministry of Culture, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, and a number of private companies have jointly
organized a touring exhibition in seven Asian cities including
New Delhi, Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.

"We want to introduce Asian people to our history and culture.
In return, we want to learn more about Asian civilization.
Knowing more about each other's cultures can enhance our
friendship," added Drakakis.

The exhibition focuses on the history of Greek civilization.

Titled "The Greek Spirit: 9,000 years of Civilization", it is
aimed at depicting the role played by Greek civilization in
uniting Eastern and Western civilization.

Bessy Drounga, the exhibition's curator, said the objects on
display attempt to cover the entire spectrum of Greek history,
from its Neolithic period to the present day.

Casts of statues and reliefs, together with teraccota
figurines and pottery, maps, comparative historical tables,
architectural drawings, photographs and wall texts analyzing and
describing each period of Greek history are on view at the
exhibition.

The exhibited items are divided into units to emphasize what
each particular period has offered to Greek society.

In addition, each item on display has been selected to
demonstrate the fundamental reason for its creation.

The first period represented through the exhibited items is
the Bronze period.

This is followed by the second period, which focuses on the
Minoan civilization. The civilization, which originated on the
island of Crete, was regarded as the earliest European culture.

The Minoans first built their palaces in Crete between 2000
and 1700 BC. According to Greek folk tradition, Minos -- the
legendary king of Knossos -- had a powerful ocean fleet, enabling
the Minoans to spread their civilization to Egypt and other
Eastern Mediterranean countries.

"The major achievements of this age were reflected in their
social and political lives and in every manifestation of large-
scale arts, including fine arts and architecture," explained the
curator.

Bronze age

In the exhibition, the Bronze age culture of Crete is
represented by, among other things, a wall painting titled La
Parisienne from the Minoan palace at Knossos (about 1500 BC), and
a limestone sarcophagus featuring a painting depicting a scene of
a religious ceremony from Ayia Triada in the late Minoan III
period (1400 BC). The displayed items from this period are on
loan from the Herakleion Archaeological Museum in Crete.

In the last stage of the Bronze Age (between 1600 and 1100
BC), the Minoan ruler in Crete was replaced by a Mycenaen ruler
on the Greek mainland. During that period, Greece's ocean fleet
dominated the Mediterranean seas. Its civilization spread
throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.

During the Mycenaean Period, trade as well as the arts and
literature developed significantly. It was in that period that
poet Homer wrote the famous poem titled the Illiad and the
Odyssey describing the greatness of the Mycenaen kingdom. Several
items from this period, including a reconstruction of the
Mycenaen palace at Eglianos and a female figure resembling an
Egyptian Sphinx, are on display.

The Mycenaean kingdom ended at the end of the Bronze Age (1100
BC) and Greece was plunged into the "Dark Age" of its history.
The arrival of the Metal Age brought important changes to the
Greek Mycenaean social, economic and political system.

Between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, Greece entered the
Archaic period. This was the period, according to Homeric epic,
when Greece experienced the development of philosophy, science,
art, historiography and geography. The period also witnessed the
growth of a democratic society.

This was the transition period toward the Greek Classical
period. The Archaic Period is represented in the exhibition by a
Bronze head of griffin from Delphi and the Treasury of the
Siphians from the Sanctuary of Apollo.

The Classical Period in Greece began around 490 BC, when
Greece defeated the mighty Asiatic power Persia in the famous
battles of Marathon and Plataea.

In the Classical Period, democracy became firmly consolidated.
Intellectuals and artists produced great, pioneering works in
their own fields. Literature, science and philosophy developed
rapidly.

The period is portrayed in the exhibition through a number of
artwork such as a marble statue called the Kritian Boy, a marble
relief Nike tying her sandal, and The Relief of the Gods.

In the Hellenistic Period (4th century BC), Greece was
dominated by Macedonia. The king of Macedonia, Philip II, gave
the Greek World unity. His son, Alexander the Great, with his
bold vision, formed the great and new Greek world through his
conquest of Asia and Africa. The period is depicted in the
exhibition through a series of excellent art pieces, including a
marble head of Alexander the Great and a manuscript of Alexander
the Great and Seven Wise Men.

Roman

The exhibition also explores the period of Roman domination
over Greece between 200 and 30 BC. This was the critical period
in Greek history. During these years, the Greeks lost their
political independence, but their cultural and artistic creations
were still paramount. Their glorious artistic example displayed
in the exhibit is a mosaic floor of late Roman period, on loan
from the Argos and Argos archaeological museum.

The Roman occupation lasted for several centuries. The Roman
empire was divided into two huge sections -- the western and the
eastern section, which became the Greek empire of Byzantium.

During this period, Constantinople, the empire's capital, with
its Holy Wisdom's Church, became the center of Orthodox
Christianity. Examples from this period were a series of pictures
and manuscripts.

The exhibition, which will last until Feb. 5, concludes with
the display of art pieces from the period of the Ottoman empire's
domination over Greece.

What can ordinary people expect from this exhibition?

Suwati Kartiwa, director of the National Museum, said it is
important for people to learn about another country's history.

"The exhibition may increase people's appreciation of world
history. Indonesia is going to exhibit its ancient kingdoms'
heritages in Japan, and the Japanese are enthusiastic about it,"
Suwati said.

The Greek cultural exhibition will certainly provide local
people with a thorough history of a nation, she said.