The Polytechnic Institute (Pl. E, 1), built in 1858 of Pentelic marble, consists of a two-storied central edifice in the Doric and Ionic styles and two Doric wings. The upper floor of the main building contains the Historical and Ethnological Museum (adm., see p. [504]), a collection of memorials of the Greek war of independence, costumes, etc.—Beyond the next side-street is the Museum.
e. The National Archæological Museum.
The **National Archaeological Museum (Pl. E, 1), erected in 1866–89, contains the collections of antiquities belonging to the state (other than those of the Acropolis, Olympia, Delphi, etc.). Adm., see p. [504]. In the central rooms are exhibited the Mycenæan and Egyptian antiquities, in the left (N.) wing the marble sculptures, in the E. annex the bronzes, and in the S. wing the vases.
From the Vestibule we go straight into the central building.
*Room of the Mycenæan Antiquities (about B.C. 1500–1000; comp. p. [416]). The cases Nos. 1–41 in the middle contain the objects found in the richly furnished royal tombs in the citadel of Mycenæ, the traditional burial-place of Agamemnon and his family. They comprise trinkets, bronze weapons, vessels and utensils of gold, silver, and clay, etc.; thus, in stands 20 and 24 are golden masks used to cover the faces of the dead bodies, in stand 27 a double-handled beaker with doves, like that of Nestor described by Homer. The five reliefs on limestone slabs (Nos. 51–55), in the centre of the side-walls, were found above the tombs. No. 50, a case in the centre, shows the 6th tomb exactly as when discovered in 1878.
The other cases contain relics of the same period from Mycenæ, and also, of rather later date, from other places in Greece, where the tombs were more plainly fitted up. At the end of the room, on columns: *1758, *1759. Gold goblets from Vaphio (near Sparta), with lifelike embossed scenes of browsing cattle and a bull-hunt. In the centre, in the detached glass-case No. 4, are chased and inlaid *Daggers.
Adjacent, straight on, is the Egyptian Room.
We return to the Vestibule and enter the N. wing, containing the Marble Sculptures.
Room of Archaic Art (7–6th cent.). To the left in the ante-room, No. 1. Female Statue (votive offering of Nikandre, primitive), and Nos. 6, 57. Female seated Statues; in the chief room are the so-called Apollo Figures, nude, some of them probably of deceased persons exalted into heroes; of this series No. 10, by the right wall, and Nos. 1904 and 9, by the left, are followed by many others, progressive in style. Also in the chief room, in front of the column on the right, No. 21. Winged Nike. By the right wall, 2687, 1959. Tomb Stelae. By the left pillar at the entrance, and also to the left farther on, 30, 86. Painted Stelae, and 29. Stela of Aristion, with the painted relief of a warrior.
Room of the Athena (5–4th cent.). In the centre, 129. Varvakion Statuette, a copy in marble, 39 inches high, of the ivory and gold statue of Parthenos by Phidias (p. [516]), appearing somewhat heavy in its reduced size, as the original was intended to be viewed from a distance.—To the left of the entrance, *126. The Eleusinian Relief, Demeter and Kore presenting the young Triptolemos (father of husbandry) with grains of corn (5th cent.). By the pillar, 177. Female ideal head.—Left wall, 178. Boar’s Head, and 179, 180. Heads of Youths, probably by Skopas; *181. So-called Eubuleus, resembling the Hermes of Praxiteles; 182. Head of Aphrodite; 159–161. Three graceful figures of Nike.—Wall of exit, 128. So-called Lenormant’s statuette of Athena, another copy of Phidias’s Parthenos, more faithful in detail (base, shield, etc.) than the Varvakion statuette; 1783. Votive Relief, two-sided.—By right wall, 136–174. Sculptures and architectural fragments from the temple of Æsculapius at Epidauros (4th cent.).