Archaeological Museum of Chora

The Archaeological Museum of Chora is a museum in Chora, Messenia, in southern Greece, whose collections constitute a panorama of the Mycenaean civilization, an "entrance gate" to the world of the Bronze Age and the Mycenaean period. The museum was founded in 1969 by the Greek Archaeological Service under the auspices of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Olympia. At the time, the latter included in its jurisdiction the larger part of Messenia.

The museum was built to shelter and exhibit finds from the excavations of Carl Blegen at the Palace of Nestor in Epano Englianos, as well as those of Spyridon Marinatos in the regions of Pylia and Trifylia. Because of their contributions to the museum, the busts of both archaeologists welcome visitors at the staircase leading to the museum's entrance. As a kind of preamble to the exhibition, on either side of the entrance stand huge burial pithoi of the Middle Helladic period, from the tumuli of Kokorakou, Peristeria, and Agios Ioannis, Papoulia, which include the grave goods from the pit, chamber, and tholos tombs that are scattered all over the land of Messenia.

The building has two stories: the elevated ground floor, which constitutes the exhibition space, and the basins, which are used as storage for the archaeological material and as a study area. The ground floor is divided in three consecutive galleries as well as a vestibule that is used as a cloakroom, museum shop and ticket office. The museum holds finds from the excavations of the palace at Epano Englianos, the tholos tombs of the Englianos area, and other nearby archaeological sites such as the extensive cemetery of Volimidia, Routsi Myrsinohoriou, Peristeria, Voroulia Traganas, and Chora. Most of the finds are grouped according to the location where they were found and are exhibited in wooden-framed cases, which are either standing along the walls or situated in the centre of the rooms, like tables. Some particularly large items, such as the pithoi and amphorae, stand free on specially made wooden bases placed close to the walls. The rooms receive natural light from a clerestory under the ceiling. Additional electric bulbs supplement lights on the dark days and hours.

Room 1

In the first room of the Museum, mainly finds from the excavations of Spyridon Marinatos in Pylia and Trifyliaare exhibited. Sites such as Volimidia, Peristeria, Routsi and Tragana are represented in this room. Cases 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8 display finds from the extensive cemetery at Volimidia, dated to the Late Helladic I-IIIB periods, better known as Mycenaean period (1550–1200 BC).

Cases 1, 2

Cases 1 and 2, in particular, contain grave goods from the tombs of the Angelopoulos group and the Vorias-Tsouleas group at Volimidia, excavated by Marinatos in 1952-54. Some of the most important finds among them are little stirrup jars, little jugs, “keftiu” type cups, as well as composite vessels, consisting of two or three alabasters joined together with one single handle.

Notable among them, in case 1, is the “teapot”, a small prochous covered on the lid and spout with a “sieve". Marinatos published a vivid description of it: “From the group of these vessels stands out an unusal prochous which bears a siece in the lid and in the spout, which springs out at the belly level". In case 2, apart from the small vessels, clearly of a funerary type, are displayed also larger vessels, mainly beveled jugs as well as a stemmed large cup. It is possible that these items were used during the last funerary supper for bidding the deceased farewell.

Case 3

Case 3 contains finds from the Middle and Late Helladic burials at Routsi, Mysinochori. The chamber and tholos tombs at Routsi were in use roughly between 1680 and 1300 B.C. This site is only a few kilometers far from Englianos and Chora. The first excavations were carried out by Marinatos, and the site was further investigated by G.S. Korres in the 1980s. The Middle helladic tumuli contained burials in pithoid jars. The deceased were usually place in contracted position, parallel to the ground. The Late Helladic tholos tombs, although relatively small (average diameter 5 meters) were rich in grave goods, particularly in luxurious items. The tholos tomb II, which was found intact, apparently contained members of the local elite, as attested by the finds. They include a copper sword, three copper daggers with inlay decoration of niello, of which two, probably imported from Crete, are on display in the National Archaeological Museum. Additonally, the tomb contained high-quality pottery, jewelry, gems, and seals. Some of the objects were made of gold and precious stones, such as amber and were used for necklaces. In total, the tholos contained five burials in pit graves, of which one was that of a little “princess”. Marinatos' description is exciting, if not moving: “Pit number 1...contained most probably the skeleton of a young princess. A large pile of spherical and multicoloured glass beads was maintained around the neck and a honey-coloured glass prism, imitating amber, was situated next to her right arm”. In pit 2 there was buried an important warrior and leader, wearing a necklace made of amber, holding a dagger decorated with inlay nautilus-shell decorations. A second dagger placed by the corpse bore hunting scenes decoration with niello, whereas a third one, on display in this case, was decorated with golden nails.

Among the pottery exhibits stands out a beautiful alabaster, with alternating black and off-white slip in a wavy pattern, a bevelled jug with spiral motives and a pithoid jar decorated with schematic ivy leaves. All these items are either directly imported from Minoan Crete or imitating Minoan models, a fact attesting to the intensive relations between Crete and the Peloponnese in this formative period of the Mycenaean civilization.

In case 3 one can also see a pair of small scale discs. This is a peculiar but not unusual find. Scholars believe that the scales were symbolically placed in tombs in order to weigh the soul of the deceased in the underworld. The copper pan on display on the upper shelf of the case is also of particular interest, not so much for its shape as for its muddy content. Inside were remains of food, apparently from the last supper on behalf of the deceased.

Finally, the top shelf of case 3 marks the transition from the Late Helladic to the Early Iron Age as well as from Routsi to Agios Ioannis, Papoulia, particularly the Hellenistic finds of the Papoulia cemetery.

Case 4

Between cases 3 and 4 stands an enormous burial jar from the tomb (literally a grave circle) of Agios Ioannis, Papoulia. The burial jars were arranged radially and parallel to the ground around a horseshoe-shaped construction in the middle of the tumulus, possibly serving as a cenotaph. Next to the jar, within a small case, there is also a two-eared hydria from the same tumulus, dating from the Early Helladic or Middle Helladic period (this type of jar was in use in both periods). The largest part of case 4 contains grave goods from the tombs of the Kefalovryso group at Volimidia, whereas the top shelf is dedicated to pottery from the so-called storage room at Voroulia-Tragana. Among the former, is a pottery type mentioned in Homer as a two-handled cup. It is a composite vessel, consisting of two drinking cups connected on the rim with a small handle and on the belly with a small tube. Two other objects in case 4 are constituted as “mystery” objects, the use of which has not been securely defined yet. The first one is a kernos-type conical vessel with four small cups attached to its rim on the inner side, and the other is a conical bowl with a socket-bearing handle at the center of its interior. The latter had initially been characterized as an oil lamp. However, S. Marinatos, supported by G. Korres, called it a “dimiteus”, which is an object that helps divide the weaving threads, thus creating a strong fibre. Displayed on the top shelf of case 4, is pottery from Tragana-Voroulia, dated to the Late Helladic I period. They belong, to the so-called first Mycenaean style. A particular type of this pottery constitute the Keftiu cups, bearing linear decoration and imitation metal (particularly golden) vessels. The term “Keftiu” is derived from Egyptian texts, where it denotes a particular nation, which the Egyptologists identified as the Minoans from Crete. On Egyptian wall paintings, the “Keftiu” people appear bearing these cups as gifts. Furthermore, these cups resemble the golden cups found at the Tholos tomb of Vafeio at Lakonia. Because of this, they are also called cups of the “Vafeio type”. Most of the pottery vessels on this shelf were discovered in a storage building, where pottery of various periods was stored. Between case 4 and the opening leading to room 2 stands an amphora with a depiction of an octopus. It is from the Tholos tomb II at Routsi, inspired by the Minoan “marine” style. Such vessels attest to the impact of Minoan civilization on the Mycenaean one.

Case 9

In front of the opening leading from room 1 to room 2, stands a panel with a mounted small case (9), and another case standing on the floor. These two cases contain the golden finds from the famous “gold-bearing” tombs of Peristeria, excavate by Spyridon Marinatos in 1965. The narration of the archaeologist himself is worth mentioning:

Whereas the entire tholos did not present any find, apart from some MH sherds, which apparently belonged to the backfilling of the grave circle, some traces of golden leaves made their appearance. They gradually increased in number and some of the leaves were of considerable dimensions. Simultaneously there appeared a series of stones in the trench, which we therefore enlarged. The stones were all small and flat, like those on the walls of the tholos, and initially they were not dense. When we dug deeper, a second, denser layer of those stones appeared and the golden finds multiplied; among them there was an owl, tritons, rosettes, golden tessels. Finally, attached to the Southern side of the trench, where it was already clear that the rock had been carved to form a shallow pit, appeared the golden cup 1, then the diadem, then the golden cup 2. The enthusiasm of the workers, all inhabitants of the village Myro, was touching... They all offered to serve as night guards... on the day after the next one we found the third cup, which lay on its own, about 50 cm to the south.

These amazing finds are displayed in the small, mounted case. There is the golden diadem and the two cups of the 'keftiu” type, golden with embossed spiral motives, from Tholos tomb 3. These items resemble those found in the Royal pit tombs of Mycenae. In the lower case, are some of the numerous smaller finds, such as golden bees, tessels, discs, lamellae and leaves. At the back side of the panel is attached a representation of the floor of the Throne Room at the Palace of Nestor.

Case 5 and small, surrounding cases

Case 5 hosts some more finds from the grave circle of Peristeria, which had been excavated by Marinatos in 1961-62. On the middle shelf is, so far, the earliest figurine from Messenia, representing a female figure with long dress. Her busom is naked and she prayes in the “Petsofas” position of the Middle Minoan period. Although the influence of Crete is evident, Marinatos believed that it was not an imported object, but rather a copy. The bottom shelf of the case 5 is dedicated to finds from the Tholos tombs of Viglitsa, Tragana, dated to the 17th century BC. Both tombs were of 'royal” dimensions. The tomb I had a diameter of 7.30 meters and was built slightly later than 1600 BC. It was continuously used down to the Protogeometric period. Among the movable finds of the tomb there were three pithoid amphorae with a floral decoration consisting of lilies and ivy leaves, a squeezed bronze two-eared vessel and a few items that are displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens: a sealstone of Carnelian depicting a griffin as well as a clay pyxis of the 12th century with the rare depiction of a sailing ship. The excavations at Tholos I of Tragana also revealed traces of chariot's wheels, apparently made from the carriage carrying the deceased to his last abode. Marinatos, in his description of the excavations in 1955, writes:

“On the ground of the dromos (of the Tholos tomb I), at the spot where it starte becoming horizontal, and at a distance of a meter and a half before the opening of the tomb, a shallow pit was found with a pile of copper utensils (fig. 93b). The main vessel was a copper amphora with two handles, sprouting from the lip of the rim; next to it there was a tripod utensil, and more copper small items underneath it. All of them had been squeezed and deformed. In fact, the amphora was also scarred from top to the bottom. This deformed copper amphora is displayed in the small plexiglass case on the wall to the right of case 5. Free-standing against the peripheral walls are displayed amphorae and large-dimensions' pottery vessels, such as the three-eared amphora of the Late Mycenaean period with schematic ivy patterns from the Tholos tomb 2 of Tragana, or the peculiar amphora with ellipsoid mouth from the Tholos tomb IV of Englianos. To the left of case 5, in a small case mounted on the wall, stands a rhyton with heads of animals, namely a bull, a stag and a bovine. It is decorated with red linear patterns. This ritual vessel was found atop a pile of pottery in the tomb 6 of the Angelopoulos group at Volimidia. The animals' heads imply that the deceased were hunters. Apparently, people continued to honour these dead men at later dates, by throwing through the tomb's opening some horns and other objects."

Case 6,7,8

Another enormous burial pithos from Papoulia follows and the rest of the cases in room 1 (6, 7, 8) comprise finds from the extensive Volimidia cemetery. The top and bottom shelves of case 6 display finds from the Kefalovryso tombs, and the middle shelf is dedicated to the finds of the Koroniou group of tombs. One of the most important objects, right in the centre of the middle shelf, is a large beaker (or stamnos) decorated with double axes, similar to those found in the Royal pit I of Mycenae. In case 7, stands out a flask with concentrical circles, a figurine of a bovine, a Mycenaean figurine of the Ψ type as well as some Roman items made of terra sigillata. Finally, case 8 displays exhibits from chamber tombs 1, 2, 9, 10 (top shelf), 4 and 5 (Middle and bottom shelf) of the Angelopoulos group at Volimidia. Tomb 4 contained finds of the Mycenaean period as well as a large number of pottery and glass artifacts of the Roman period. This means that the tomb was re-used in that period. Tomb 5, on the other hand, contained interesting exhibits of the Late Helladic period as well as of the Protogeometric period. On the bottom shelf, on the left there are two medium-sized jugs, one decorated with the maeander design. An interesting group of items consists of a copper double axe of small dimensions as well as a pin and a pair of tweezers. Double axes are not uncommon in Late Helladic tombs. Some of them are related to the preparation of food for the last supper on behalf of the deceased. This particular axe, however, is particularly fine, which makes one think that maybe it had a purely ritual character.

Room 2

The second central room of the Museum is dedicated to the Palace of Nestor and the hill of Englianos. It mainly contains fragments of wallpaintings, objects of a ritual character and vessels, mostly for daily use.

Case 10

Case 10, on the right upon entering from room 1, contains large beakers with stem, kylikes, kraters and ladles from pantry 20 of the Palace of Nestor. Almost all of these vessels are related to feasting and drinking wine. Case 19, on the other side of the entrance, also contains pottery and drinking vessels from pantry 20, as well as some pottery from room 38, including stripes for sealing jars. In this case, a mattpainted krater with wavy decoration (a similar krater, from the excavations at Vlachopoulo, is displayed in the museum of Pylos) stands out in particular. Displayed in front of case 10, in a small, independent case, is an excellent stone oil lamp of Minoan origin. It is made of white marble and decorated with spiral patterns.

Cases 11,12,17,18: The Wallpaintings' cases

Along the long sides of the room there are town pairs of cases (11, 12, 17 and 18), where fragments of the palace's wall paintings are displayed. On the walls over the cases are hung painting reconstructions of the wall paintings by Piet de Jong, the official architect and designer of the British School at Athens, who touched with his pinsel the reconstructions of several sites of Mycenaean and Minoan civilization.

Case 11 contains fragments from the backfilling of the room 43 (vestibule of the Palace of Neleus), which depict hunting dogs, brown or white with dots. There are also fragments of wall paintings from the room of the Queen, which depict lions and griffins. In the next case, number 12, there are displayed fragments of the wall paintings which depict male figures from the vestibule of the palace of Nestor, a man leading dogs and another man carrying tripods. This is from corridor number 48 (some similar depictions are known in miniature from Agia Eirini in Keos), a frieze with nautilus-shells (from the interior of the vestibule) and a façade of a building, decorated with consecration horns, a typical cult symbol of the Minoans, from the courtyards south of the Vestibule.

Opposite, leaning against the left wall of the room are the cases 17 and 18. The former contains more painting fragments including rosettes (from staircase 54), the battle scene over a river (from vestibule 64) and the well-known “lyre player” or “bard”, who probably constituted the last figure on a large wallpainting depicting a procession. The lyre player alludes to Apollo and to Thamyris, a musician from Pylia, who boasted about his musical prowess and therefore was punished by the muses (Iliad, 2 594-600). In the next case, number 18, lies the painting fragment with a female head named “The White Goddess” as well as part of friezes of which one depicts nautilus shells and the other blue birds.

The most important fragment, however, is probably that depicting a bull-leaper, found in a pit at the floor of the Wine Magazine. Although the theme is Minoan, it is common in other Mycenaean centres, such as Tiryns and Orchomenos.

Cases 32,33

In the free space among cases 11, 12 and 17, 18, are displayed two free-standing large amphorae for storing goods. One is decorated with a checkerboard pattern and is slightly deformed. The other is a Minoan-style clay table of offerings found next to the Hearth in the Throne Room; the latter was plastered and gold-plated. Additionally, there are two more cases in the middle of the room. The case number 32 contains miniature kylikes possibly used for ritual purposes, as well as replicas of Linear B tablets. Two golden Venetian coins attest to the use of the hilltop of Englianos as a quarry for building materials in later period. In case 33 are displayed parts of jewellery and golden lamellae, possibly attached on wooden furniture of the palace, which were consumed by the fire. Finally, in a central position of room 2 we see a model of the palace, donated by a Dutch highschool. Just before the entrance to room 3, there are three more cases leaning against the wall (13, 14, 15), two on the left and one to the right of the entrance. They all contain pottery found in the palace's pantries. Case 13 displays jars from storeroom 32, case 14 contains drinking cups, scoops and bowls from the pantry 60 and case 15 similar items from pantry 18. There are various types of pottery representing what daily life in the palace possibly looked like. They include cooking pots, stemmed kylikes, scoops and ladles, probably used for cooking, drinking and feasting.

Room 3

The third room contains thirteen cases including exhibits from the palace as well as from the broader region of Englianos.

Cases 20-22: The Lower Town

In case 20, on the right of the entrance to this room, beautiful and particularly interesting finds from Kokkevis' chamber tomb and Kokkevis' Protogeometric tomb at Chora are displayed. These finds are stored on the top shelf. Most notable are protogeometric amphoras, a krater with depiction of a hunting scene and a stemmed open cup or bowl with a linear white decoration, reminiscent of pottery from Early Modern Greece, particularly from the Eastern Aegean islands. On the middle and bottom shelf are displayed grave goods from Tsakalis' chamber tombs and from the tholos tomb 4 of Kanakaris. It is worth observing a copper bowl with particularly long rectangular handles, a feeding bottle, a female figurine, some necklaces of gold or semi-precious stones and a set for personal care, comprising a razor and two mirrors. Case 21 is dedicated to finds from the Lower Town (top shelf) and Tsakalis tombs. A conical rhyton decorated with palm trees and nilotic floral motives also attracts much attention. It is a unique, Minoan style vessel, which had a ritual use. Other beautiful exhibits are the stirrup jar with an ivy-leaf decoration, a prochous with the same floral pattern as well as two tall Keftiu cups with a spiral decoration. In case 22 there is displayed mainly pottery from the Palace's pantries (top and middle shelf) and from the dumps of the acropolis. The pottery types include low cups, kytathoi, kraters and some beveled jugs. Case 23 contains the particularly interesting pottery items which were deformed and blackened by the fire which consumed the Palace. On the middle shelf there is a particularly noticeable group of grave goods from the pit grave in room 97, comprising Carnelian and amethyst beads, a golden plain bead and another golden bead in the form of a warrior's head.

Cases 24, 25: The Palace's pantries

Case 24 continues with storage vessels from the Palace's pantry 68 (top and middle shelf) as well as with some items from workshop 55 and the wine magazine 105. The most striking object is the brazier or grill made of clay, used during the palace's feasts. Case 25 is filled with two basic types of pots: tripod cookpots and clay shovels for charcoal. Some of the items are blackened by the fire which burned the Palace. Between cases 24 and 25 stands an enormous ringed jar with lid, reminding of early modern Koroni jars. It was used for storage of goods, oil in particular. In the corner, to the left of case 25, there is a clay pipe and a basin-shaped lid, which formed part of the chimney above the hearth in the Queen's apartments.

Case 26: The aromatic oil

Case 26 could be labelled “the (aromatic) oil case” since almost all the exhibits were related to the transportation and storage of oil. On the upper shelves are vessels destroyed by the fire. However, on the lower shelf there are well-preserved stirrup jars which were the most typical vessels for transporting good quality aromatic oil, the precious good produced and redistributed by the Palace.

Cases 27,28

Case 27 contains mainly drinking vessels, such as stemmed drinking cups and some deformed and burned items such as the deformed askos. In case 28 are displayed some large specimens of daily use pottery, such as bowls, basins, scoops and sauce-boats. There are twists for making Linear B tablets on the bottoms shelf.

Case 29: Burial customs

Next comes case 29, one of the most interesting ones in the Museum, as it contains finds and grave goods from Vayenas Tholos tomb 5, actually a “Grave circle” (and some from Kondou chamber tomb on the top shelf). The items from Vayenas tomb are related mainly to warriors but there are some that attest to at least one female burial. The top shelf contains good quality Late Helladic pottery, particularly jugs, prochoi and a three-eared amphora. On the middle shelf there is a pair of copper scales, possibly related to the “weighing of the soul” belief, a personal care set made of copper and ivory as well as sheaths for daggers, which apparently formed part of a Mycenean warrior's armour. The bottom shelf contains a large number of daggers and swords, some of which are bent. This case offers ample information on the burial rites of the Mycenaean period. Personal care objects, such as mirrors and razors, were buried along with their former proprietors. The copper scales escorted the deceased in order to help weigh his soul in the underworld. Precious grave goods, such as the golden diadem or the glass-paste necklace, escorted women of aristocratic stock. However, the most interesting rite is expressed by the bent swords, alluding to the fact that their owners, former warriors, will never again need them.

Cases 30,31

In the centre of the room there is the oblong case 30, containing pottery sherds, small copper daggers and parts of an ivory helmet. In case 31 is a miniature ring prochous as well as a set of pestles from Deriziotis' aloni, particularly a key-shaped one. Finally, there are the free-standing exhibits around the room. There is the pithos from the Vayenas grave circle, the copper large basin with handles ending in a human hand shape (from the same grave circle) and the large consecration horns, between cases 20 and 21. This is one more clear trace of Minoan influence on Mycenaean art and architecture.

Bibliography

• Blegen, C., Rawson, M., et al., The Palace of Nestor at Pylos in Western Messenia, v. I-III, Princeton 1966-1973
• Davis, J., A Guide to the Palace of Nestor, the Myenaean Sites in its Environs and the Museum of Hora, ASCSA 2001
• Marinatos, Sp., Anaskafai Messenias 1952-1966, ed. Sp. Iakovides, Athens: Archaeological Society at Athens 2014