ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF THASOS (Code: )

The Archaeological Museum of Thasos was built in 1935 to house the large number of important finds that had come to light from the late  19th century. Continuing exploration created the need to expand the Museum. Thus, during the years 1989-1999 a new wing was built with  Greek funding, in addition to funding from the Archaeological Receipts Fund and the European Union. The project involving the “New  Permanent Exhibition and its Supporting Infrastructure” was realized under the self-supervision of the XVIII Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Kavala (2003-2009), with funding from the Third Community Support Framework, and was incorporated into the Regional  Operational Program (ROP) of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace. Today the Museum has a total area of 2,376 m2. The new permanent exhibition  covers a total area of 1,400 m2. The remaining areas have been made into study and storage rooms, conservation workshops, and offices. The Museum courtyard, apart from providing access to the building and a rest-area, also hosts the exhibits of large sculptures, architectural members, inscriptions, and mosaics. I

n the reception area (gallery 1) an impressive Archaic kouros, Thasos’ emblematic find, is exhibited along  with  accompanying digital AV material concerning the history and techniques of monumental sculpture. In the first section of the exhibition  (galleries 4-5) visitors have the opportunity to view objects being exhibited for the first time. These concern the island’s prehistory from the Paleolithic to the Iron Age. More specifically, there are displays of tools from the Paleolithic ochre mine at Tzines, which is unique in the Greek world. Also on display are tools, pottery, jewelry,  and small objects from the Prehistoric settlements on the island, with a partial reconstruction  of a Late Bronze Age house and an Iron Age tomb. The stone anthropomorphic stelae from the Early Bronze Age settlement at Skala Sotiros are also impressive.