Certain exhibitions are temporary, while others are in the process of being assembled. Exhibits may change location. All information given in this book was accurate at the time of going to print. All dates should be read as B.C. (Before Christ), unless stated otherwise.
The Museum of Delos is of considerable significance as it houses a variety of very interesting collections, covering an enormous period of time, from the Early Cycladic Period right up to the Roman times. The visitor is thus able to follow the development of sculpture, ceramic, painting, the art of mosaic, etc, from the workshops of Naxos, Paros, Rhodes, Corinth, Euboia, Crete and Attica, among others. It includes a room with finds related to the everyday life on Delos in the second century B.C., unique in its kind, but also an interesting collection of wall paintings of the same period. Finally, the museum has a special room for temporary exhibitions.
In the entrance lobby there is a very helpful model of the ancient town, a replica of the statue of Diadumenos, which was found in the house of the same name (the original of which is in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens), and a wonderful Ionic corner capital, which probably came from the Porinos Naos.
First room of archaic sculpture
This room houses works of sculpture from the Archaic period (seventh and sixth centuries), mainly Kouroi and Kores, the works of Naxian and Parian artists, which together with those of Athens, Samos and Delphi are the most characteristic of the art of this period, the dawn in other words of monumental Greek sculpture. The Kouroi are statues of young men in their prime, represented nude with long hair falling to the back, arms alongside the torso and with the left leg forward of the other. The Kores or maidens are statues of young, graceful women, shown dressed, with long hair and with one hand outstretched in a gesture of offering. Both, Kouroi and Kores, follow Egyptian prototypes such as the large size, the stiffness in the pose, the left leg forward, and the stylized hair. Both types are characterized by an enigmatic smile and were offerings to male and female deities respectively. The artists of Naxos consciously preferred a harmonious stylization to the more natural representation of the body, and their love of a well-worked curve is apparent. Their kouroi are virtually flat chested, with narrow waists and a slightly protruding abdomen. The artists of Paros, on the other side, showed their preference for more athletic builds, with arms and shoulders slightly drawn back so as to emphasize the strong chest. Both schools, however, conform to the common forms of archaic island sculpture.
Unique among its kind is a triangular base with the left foot of a kouros (A 728). On its three corners are sculptured the head of a ram, the head of a Medusa and the head of a lion. On the left side of the base and between the ram's head and the lion's head there is an inscription written in the Naxian alphabet, which reads: "Eutychartides the Naxian made me and dedicated me" in the bustrophedon writing, that is, beginning from left to right and continuing from right to left in the second line and so on. This is possibly the oldest signature of a sculptor in Greece, and dates back to the second half of the seventh century. The waist and thigh of a kouros (A 333), among the finest of this period, a Naxian work from around the end of the seventh century in gray-blue marble, the surface of which has been marvelously preserved. It wears an elegant belt around the waist (a characteristic of the early kouroi), the muscles are represented in a naturalistic way, and the male member was attached to the statue with a lead link. The testicles are rendered in a realistic way. The left leg was slightly forward and the arms were parallel to the body and attached to the sides, while the hips are reminiscent of those of the Colossus of the Naxians. The hips and thighs of a kouros with the wrist of the left hand (A 4052); the surface in front is damaged as it had been used as building material, but the rear is in very good condition. The buttocks are elegant if rather slim in relation to the rest of the body; a Naxian work of the early sixth century. The wrist of a colossal statue (A 4094), which has been identified by some with the Colossus of the Naxians; however, due to the fact that different material was used and that the wrist was attached to a thigh, in contrast to that of the Colossus of the Naxians, this cannot be true. Moreover, it is known that there was more than one statue of such dimensions on Delos. A kouros (A 4085), the breast of which is similar to that of the Colossus of the Naxians; a Naxian work of the mid 7th century. Another kouros of gray-blue marble (A 4048) with very good rendering of the waist, upper arms and thighs; Naxian workshop, between 560550. Part of a kouros from the shoulders to the knees (A 1742); compare the narrow waist in relation to the breadth of the shoulders. The hair fell in a thin layer down the back; Naxian work of the mid 6th century. The torso of a kouros (A 4083) with a thicker waist than usual; Naxos, mid 6th century. A kouros with a rather thick waist and heavy characteristics (A 4045); Parian work, approx. 580. The upper part of a kouros (A 334), badly worn, with hair drawn back, wearing a belt round the waist, which imitates one of metal; Naxian work, last quarter of the seventh century. A kore (A 4062) wearing a peplos ("mantle") with a meander-like band in the middle of it. Half of her hair fell down her back and half to her chest; Paros, between 580 and 570. A small kouros (A 4051) from shoulders to knees; Naxos, mid 6th century. The statue of a Sphinx (A 583), which was a mythological hybrid creature that had a lion's body, a woman's head and wings (missing). The Sphinx is depicted sitting on her hind legs atop an Ionic capital, once colored. At first sight it is reminiscent of the Sphinx of the Naxians, in Delphi. However, it is the work of an artist from Paros, in Parian marble. Notice the rounded face, the archaic smile, and the hair falling along the back of the neck; from the mid 6th century. Monuments of sphinxes standing on tall Ionic columns were common in the sixth century.
A kore wearing a peplos, with beautiful plaits down the chest (A 4067); Parian work, approx. 520. A statue possibly of a goddess (A 4066), from the end of the sixth century. Four small statues of an enthroned Hera from the Heraion (A 3991 to A 3994); end of the sixth century. A series of statues, representing some of the twelve gods of Mt Olympus: Athena (A 4197), Artemis (A 4077), Apollo (A 4092), Hera enthroned (A 4069) and Zeus (A 4054). Judging from the style and technique, they are obviously from the same set of deities and moreover, they were all found near the Dodecatheon. The fact that their rear side is less finely worked seems to indicate that they were originally positioned in front of a wall; Paros, end of the sixth or early fifth century. On the southwest side of the room there are some marble acroteria with the head of Medusa (A 7677 to A 7682), which come from the roof of the Oikos of the Naxians.
Learn more about Delos island and take a look at Pictures of Mykonos and Delos in order to admire their beauty and since there are no hotels in Delos you should probably have a list of Hotels in Mykonos.
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