Museum of Classical Archaeology, Adelaide facts for kids
The Museum of Classical Archaeology is a special collection of ancient items. It helps students learn about Greek and Roman history. It's part of the University of Adelaide in South Australia.
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Discovering Ancient Treasures
The idea for this museum started a long time ago. In 1910, a professor named H. Darnley Naylor hoped for a "much-needed Classical and Historical Museum." He wanted it to include ancient coins already given to the university. More coin collections were added over the years.
In the 1960s, the Classics Department got its first display case. It held a small group of ancient objects, mostly Greek pottery. As more students learned about Greek and Roman archaeology, the collection grew bigger.
A New Home for History
By 1980, the collection was too big for its old spot. The university decided to move it to the beautiful Henry Basten Room. This room is in the historic Mitchell Building in Adelaide. The museum opened to the public in 1983. Dr. Frank Sear was its first director.
Other museums helped the collection grow. The South Australia Museum and the Art Gallery of South Australia loaned many Greek and Roman objects. This teamwork continues today.
Gifts from the Community
The Greek community in Adelaide has always supported the university. The committee for the Glendi Festival gave the museum about 40 casts of ancient Greek sculptures. These were too many for the main room. So, the area outside the room was used to show these amazing copies of Classical and Hellenistic art.
To celebrate the museum's opening in 1983, the University Foundation bought a Corinthian bronze helmet. This type of helmet was popular around 600 BC. Also, Professor A. D. Trendall donated a Campanian lekythos. A lekythos is a type of ancient pot.
Friends and New Discoveries
The "Friends of the Museum" group also started at the opening. They help by organizing public talks about archaeology. They also raise money to buy more ancient items.
In 1984, a great chance came up. The personal collection of Arthur Dannatt became available. With a lot of help from the Friends, the museum bought his entire collection. This made the museum's collection even wider. It now included objects from Egypt and Mesopotamia, along with Greek, Etruscan, and Roman items.
In the 1990s, Dr. Margaret O'Hea became the new director. She added items from Near Eastern cultures. Some of these were found during Sydney University's digs at Pella. The museum continues to grow thanks to private donations.
For a while, the museum couldn't stay open all the time. But now, school groups can visit. Also, volunteers from the university's alumni group help open the museum. It's open on the first Tuesday of each month during the school year. You can find out about public talks on the museum's Facebook page and Eventbrite.
Museum Highlights
Ancient Egypt
The museum has many interesting items from Egypt. These include small statues, good luck charms called amulets, and things used in burials. You can see items from the New Kingdom to the Late Period of ancient Egypt.
A special loan from the Student Union includes a piece of an offering table and a stele (a stone slab with carvings). These are from New Kingdom Egypt. They were bought in the early 1900s. Some pottery from graves found by John Garstang at Beni Hassan is also on loan from the SA Museum and AGSA.
Near Eastern Treasures
The Near Eastern collection includes very old stone tools. These are from the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. They were found in the north Jordan Valley. There's also pottery from Bronze Age and Iron Age tombs. These were excavated by the Sydney University team at Pella in Jordan. You can also see pottery, some cuneiform tablets, and small figures from the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia.
Greek and Cypriot Art
The Eastern Mediterranean is shown through pottery from Cyprus. This pottery ranges from the Early Bronze Age to the Iron Age. The Greek collection has pottery and lamps from the Late Bronze Age to the Hellenistic periods. It also includes the Corinthian bronze helmet. Another highlight is a piece of a marble lekythos from Attica. It shows a woman named Leonike and her husband Kalliphanes.
Roman and Etruscan Wonders
You can also explore cultures from Italy before Rome became powerful. There's Villanovan and Etruscan pottery and bronze objects. A painted terracotta sarcophagus shows a young man relaxing as if at a feast. This piece is from when Rome ruled Etruria (which is modern Tuscany).
The Roman collection has small bronze figures from Gaul and Egypt. There are also marble sculptures used for burials. Objects from Roman and early Byzantine Egypt include terracotta figures and a piece of Coptic textile. There's even a souvenir flask of Saint Menas. A few early Islamic and medieval objects are also on display. They help show how things changed after the Roman world.
Glassware Through Time
The museum also has a wide display of glassware. You can see Mycenaean flat beads. There's a core-formed aryballos from the Classical period. And you can see Roman and Byzantine blown glass vessels.
