Major exhibition in France highlights the ties between Marseille – Delphi – Greece:

The sculptures of the “Treasure of the Marseilles”, a precious offering to Delphi of this ancient city, which was a colony of the Phocaeans, will be the core of the major exhibition, which will take place in January 2013 in Marseille as part of the “European Capital of Culture” events. And with the idea that this exhibition will contribute to the promotion of ancient Greek civilization abroad while at the same time validating the long-standing ties between Marseilles – Delphi – Greece, the Central Archaeological Council approved last night the loan of 16 sculptures and architectural members from the Treasury in order to be presented in the once Greek city. In fact, five of these ancient works are included in the list of immovable antiquities of the Delphi Museum, but the importance of the exhibition is such that neither the 10th Ephorate of Antiquities nor the KAS refused their loan. Moreover, the French organizers, who initially requested 23 antiquities from the sculptural decoration of the Treasury, attach particular importance to its presentation in the “motherland”.

The “Treasury of the Massalians”, a work of high sculptural art, was founded in the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia at Delphi (between the Tholos and the Doric treasury) and is made of local limestone and Parian marble. It consists of a small building in the form of a temple (dimensions 6.14X8.40 meters) with two columns bearing Aeolian capitals, in relief. On its frieze there was a relief representation with scenes from the Gigantomachy and the Amazonomachy while the pediment was also decorated with sculptures, which have survived, however, in fragments (perhaps they depicted a battle of animals). The capes, however, were in the form of female statues and probably depicted Nikes.

The exhibition, organized at the initiative of the Archaeological Museum of the Mediterranean, will be presented from January 15 to April 15, 2013, in the chapel of the “Vieux Charité”, which is used as an exhibition space. The chapel is located in the middle of the courtyard of a large 17th-century almshouse complex that today houses, among other things, the Archaeological Museum of the Mediterranean.

This important presentation is structured in three sections, with the first referring to Delphi and its importance for the ancient world. Here, the various Treasures of Delphi will be presented – these were large votive offerings, usually from cities, to the sanctuary of Apollo, which was also the most important oracle of antiquity, while the chronicle of the excavations at Delphi will also be presented.

The second section displays the “Treasure of the Marseillais” with parts of the frieze, the torso of a female statue that was a cape on the building, as well as the Aeolian capital from its facade. A model of the monument will complement the information, while in the middle of the chapel, the Treasury building will be presented in the form of a life-size hologram. The last section will also highlight the work of the French Archaeological Institute of Athens, which this year celebrates its 160th anniversary in Greece.

We recall that Marseille was founded in the 7th century BC during the first colonization of the Phocaeans and was in fact their most important colony as it immediately became – and remains – one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean.

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