Epigraphic Museum of Athens: Unique in Greece and the Largest of its Kind in the World
The Epigraphic Museum is unique in Greece and the largest of its kind in the world. It safeguards 14,078, mostly Greek, inscriptions, which cover the period from early historical times to the Late Roman period, primarily in Greece.
The museum is housed in the south wing ground floor of the National Archaeological Museum. It comprises an internal and external courtyard (atrium), a lobby, eleven rooms, a large hypostyle Pi-shaped corridor, a gallery, offices, a laboratory for the conservation of inscribed stone monuments and lavatories.
The earliest Attic inscription on stone - Epigraphic Museum
This small limestone fragment, which was discovered on the Acropolis at the end of the nineteenth century BC, is one of the most remarkable and rare exhibits in the museum. Its restored surface has lightly carved, irregular letters. This inscription, which dates from early historical times (eighth century BC), is one of the earliest examples of Greek writing and the earliest Attic stone inscription. It consists of two lines of text, the first one inscribed from right to left and the second from left to right (boustrophedon). Only two words are preserved making it impossible to reconstruct the text.
Only the courtyards, lobby and four rooms are open to the public; the other premisces are accessible only to researchers and staff.
The purpose of the museum is the scientific research, study, registration, protection, preservation, publication, photographic documentation and promotion of the ancient Greek inscriptions.
The museum also aims to comprise photographic and impression archives and a specialized epigraphic library. Moreover, a digital catalogue of the inscriptions has been constructed.
Honorific decree with the inscription: “The deme Aixone honours the choregoi Auteas and Philoxenides”. White, medium-grained marble, 313–312 BC. Found in Glyphada in 1941.
The Museum organises temporary exhibitions of ancient Greek inscriptions, as well as exhibitions of art inspired by the Greek script and the ancient inscriptions.