Stories from the Museum

Archaeological Museum of Rhodes

7th Junior High School of Rhodes

Our country Greece, Our country Greece, our Island Rhodesour Island Rhodes

Our town Our town RhodesRhodes

Our town Our town RhodesRhodes

Our town Our town RhodesRhodes

Archaeological Archaeological Museum of RhodesMuseum of Rhodes

Μarble grave stele of Μarble grave stele of Kalliorista from 4th century Kalliorista from 4th century

B.CB.C

“I am unfortunate Kalliorista and this girl in front of me is my favourite slave, Douris. It’s almost three thousand years that I have stood frozen, motionless on this marble stone, weeping for my misfortune.

It was the last day of the month Ekatomvaion. I had once more followed my father Philaretus, a great copper merchant, on a trading voyage to Cyprus. Though I was grown-up and married to my beloved Damocles, I could not spoil my father’s pleasure who wanted his only daughter with him. And I followed him on the fatal voyage. That evening after dining at local ruler Agathocles’ house, we were attacked by bandits. My father was not able to protect me despite his will.

When they brought my dead body back to Rhodes, Damocles, inconsolable, blamed himself for having consented to that voyage. For three days he wept and let no one approach. On the fourth day he arranged for this headstone to be made in my honour. It depicts me and my favourite slave who is holding this casket with my jewellery.

The people who discovered me treated me with love, care and attention. They put me in a very nice place, where lots of people visit me every day. Many of them try to imitate me and others speak with great admiration. Every day I can hear the whispers and laughters of the small visitors who keep me company until the lights go out and I sink back into past memories.”

Μarble grave stele of Krito and Μarble grave stele of Krito and Timarista, classic periodTimarista, classic period

“Suddenly my mother dies, bids me farewell for the next world. Despair, grief, loneliness overwhelm me. I try to understand and accept my mother’s loss but I cannot. I know that I am old enough not to need her care, but I cannot and will not get used to her loss. I have not learned to live without her. The world around me is empty, words do not console me.

I can see understanding and compassion in the faces of the visitors of the museum which eases my grief a little. But when the doors of the museum close, grief comes back more intense. The closing noise of the large door frightens me. But there is always the next day, tomorrow’s visitors, dear visitors who console me, who without ever realizing it give meaning to my existence…”

Marble statue of the god Marble statue of the god Asclepius from 2nd century B.CAsclepius from 2nd century B.C

“Hello, I am Asclepius, the greatest god of Medicine and Health. People loved and honoured me for my healing abilities. They worshipped me and honoured me in temples and sanctuaries in many parts of Greece. My favourite one though is on Kos, an island near Rhodes. Asclepion is built on the slope of a low hill full of trees and with a lovely view of the sea. It was near the ancient city and was full of admirable donations, works of famous artists. People came there from all over the world for me to heal them. I appeared in the patients’ dreams and suggested their treatment.

Now I stand here in a corner, watching visitors go by me to stand in front of Aphrodite. Very few notice me. But sometimes some stand before me, lean towards me and secretly touch me. Then I am moved and whisper a secret about healing power and the magic of art to their ear. Come and I may tell you too…”

Μarble grave stele from 2nd Μarble grave stele from 2nd century B.C.century B.C.

“I was born in Rhodes in the 2nd century B.C. and died young. I was a brave warrior, I died fighting for my country. This headstone was made and placed on my tomb to honour me. A lot has happened since: wars, sieges, disasters, earthquakes… and I remained under the ground for centuries, hearing conquerors pass one after the other over my dear island. Until I was discovered by archeologists and now I am in the archeological museum of Rhodes.

I lean against a pil lar, hold my helmet, look at i t and remember my previous l ife and I wonder: was everything worth it? Is glory more important than youth and l ife? Am I happy now? I am tired of standing up all those years, with this heavy helmet in my hands, wearing the same clothes, without shoes… Thousands of visitors pass in front of me every year. But I l ike the young ones. They stand before me, take photographs, sometimes they try to stand l ike me. I envy their youth and unconcern. I want to run behind them, to tel l them to enjoy their l i fe and l ive it with enthusiasm and love. But none of this can be done. When the evening comes, visitors go, the l ights go out and the only thing heard is our whispers, our sighs…”

Bathing Aphrodite, Bathing Aphrodite, marble marble statue, statue, 1st century B.C1st century B.C

“I am the Aphrodite of Rhodes, the most beautiful and famous exhibit of the museum. The sculptor who created me made me raise my head as I was bathing in a river and heard someone call me. I stood like this, surprised and motionless, watching centuries go by, conquerors come one after the other, people’s habits change.

At first, when I was presented to the Rhodian people, I was very proud because everyone admired my beauty. A rich merchant bought me to decorate his garden. Beautiful times!

Unti l one day the house collapsed in an earthquake and I was doomed to remain under the ground for several centuries. When I was rediscovered, I became again the centre of attention. I escaped plunders and Arab raids and during the Knights’ Rule I decorated the garden in the Palace of the Grand Magister. People came to admire me from all over Europe! Then, disasters and plunders again, unti l I ended up here, in the museum, together with other statues. I am placed in a glass protective box in the middle of a room, facing visitors’ admiring eyes. At f irst I felt a l i t t le awkward about my nudity and my weight. Today women are tall and thin. In my t imes my body proportions were ideal, but today criteria seem to have changed… But I keep being admired and photographed. Today a group of gir ls stood in front of me for a long t ime. They were talking about me and in the end they tr ied to imitate me… Well now, that is not that simple…

Sometimes I am tired of myself. I would l ike to be able to get up, to stretch my legs, to l ie down, to get dressed and go out for a while, to follow these happy kids and tour about my town with them. But this cannot be done… My name is Aphrodite, and if you want to see me, you have to come to Rhodes, to the Museum, I wil l be expecting you!”

THANK YOU VERY THANK YOU VERY MUCHMUCH

See you in RhodesSee you in Rhodes