Precious items from afar

Valuable raw materials and objects were imported across vast distances to Mycenaean palatial centres from the late Bronze Age, 1600– 1070 BCE.

The collection of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens includes treasures made from materials such as ivory, lapis lazuli, amber and alabaster that originated in northern and eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and beyond.

Images: Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports/Photo Archives, National Archaeological Museum, Greece. Photos: Panagiotis Lazaris (items inv. n. NAM, 1017, 1412, 3097, 7644, 2657-6250, 2667, 7505-7507-7509, 4573, 2512).

Bronze sword of a type originated in Italy and NW Europe. It was imitated and distributed throughout Mycenaean Greece in the 12th century BCE.

Sword
NAM, Π 1017

Small wheel of a North-European type made of lead.

Wheel
NAM, Π 1412

Amber beads possibly from the Baltic Sea region.

NAM, Π 3097

Italian stone axe mould.

NAM, Π 7644

Egyptian faience figurine of a monkey with the cartouche of the Pharaoh Amenophis II (1427-1400 BCΕ).

NAM Π, 4573

Faience kylix with lotus flowers.

NAM, Π 7505, 7507, 7509

Fragments of an Egyptian alabaster vessel in the shape of a monkey holding her baby.

NAM, Π 2657, 6250

Canaanite amphora with incised signs on the handles.

NAM, Π 4569

Beads in the shape of a waz-lily, made of lapis lazuli possibly from the region of what is now Afghanistan.

NAM, Π 252

Glass pendant with relief rosette, from Mesopotamia.

Glass Pendant
NAM, Π 2512

Copper oxhide ingot.

NAM, Π 14730

Bronze figurine of the Syro-Palestinian war god Reshef.

NAM, Π 2631

Ostrich egg from Egypt.

NAM, Π 2667

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