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.