A true archaeological treasure was discovered in a shop in Athens, Greece and was made public on Tuesday. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Culture of Greece, “over 100 ancient Greek artifacts dating back to the Geometric and Hellenistic periods have been found in a shop run by the National Gallery in the heart of Athens.”
This peculiar discovery was practically accidental. It was only when a court order for the eviction of the former tenants of the shop was executed that authorities came across a pile of spectacular ancient objects.
According to Tuesday’s announcement by the Ministry of Culture, the discovery was made in February 2024. However, this wasn’t made public until now.
Following the discovery, a representative of the National Gallery immediately informed the Ministry of Culture about the findings. Archaeologists from the Directorate for Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property of Greece were sent to the shop to investigate.
What does the archaeological treasure found in Athens include?
According to the statement issued on Tuesday, the discovery includes a total of 102 ancient objects. These range from the Geometric period (1100–750 BC) to the Hellenistic period (up to 31 BC).
The collection includes kylixes, kantharoi, lekanides, lekythoi, skyphoi, figurines, as well as 36 religious objects from the post-Byzantine period. Icons, silver inlays, an episcopal rod, and other ecclesiastical objects are among these religious items.
The discovery also encompassed 3,247 coins, medals, seal stones, weights, and lead seals dating from ancient to modern times.
Greece’s Ministry of Culture noted that “almost all of the ancient objects were found in an inaccessible underground space, wrapped in newspapers from the 1940s, when the shop was rented for the first time.”
A case of antiquities smuggling?
The artifacts have already been transferred for safekeeping to storage facilities of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Athens and storage spaces at the Numismatic Museum. They will remain there until the investigation is completed by Athens prosecutorial authorities.
In speaking about this incredible discovery, Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni stated that, apart from antiquities unlawfully stolen from Greece and now abroad, “there are also cases of illegal activities involving the acquisition of goods within our country.”
Statue found in Athens
In addition to this extraordinary find, a stunning ancient Greek statue was recently uncovered during natural gas network construction near the Acropolis. The exceptionally well-preserved statue was uncovered at the intersection of Erechtheion and Kallisperi streets in central Athens near the Herodion, located beneath the Acropolis.
The statue depicts a nude male figure in the style of Hermes Ludovisi. Workers stumbled upon it during the expansion of Athens’ natural gas system.