13 Jun 2019
Acropolis Museum to open 2,400-year-old ruins as it marks its 10th birthday
BY Andy Knaggs
A newly excavated ancient Greek neighbourhood at the foot of the iconic Acropolis citadel in Athens is to be opened to the public on 21 June, as the Acropolis Museum celebrates its 10th birthday.
The 4,000sq m (13,123sq ft) area comprises houses, workshops, bathhouses and streets, dating from the late classical era (5th century BC) and in use until the early Byzantine period in the 12th century AD. The ruins help to shed light on the everyday activities of Athenians living in the shadow of the Acropolis, according to the museum.
It has taken 13 years to excavate the site, with around 50,000 artefacts being discovered, including a Roman-era copy of a 4th century BC marble bust of Aristotle. The most representative findings of the excavation will soon be put on display, the museum said.
The tenth anniversary of the Acropolis Museum's opening is to be marked with a number of events in the lead up to the actual date of the birthday (20 June).
These include a temporary exhibition, titled "Chisel and Memory: the contribution of marble craftsmanship to the restoration of the Acropolis monuments", starting on 11 June; a lecture on 13 June, titled "The true colours of the Parthenon sculptures - evidence for traces of original polychromy and its interpretation"; and a music concert by the Greek composer Stavros Xarchakos and an orchestra of eight renowned Greek soloists, taking place on 19 June.
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