ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
Like a treasure chest, it preserves precious masterpieces of rare beauty.
The Ekklesiasterion
Carved from the calcarenite bedrock, the south-facing Ekklesiasterion of Agrigento is illuminated by sunlight. It is placed in a spectacular setting overlooking the southern hill, with its monumental temples and the azure Mediterranean Sea.
It was a public building, where the Ekklesia, or citizens’ assembly, met. It was built in the area that was the heart of the political and civil life in ancient Akragas, where the Bouleuterion and the Agora were also located.
Deinos with Triskelés
The artifact features an enigmatic Triskele. This decoration, found since ancient times in Eastern countries, is distinguished by its three-legged shape, deviating from the more common religious depictions. It is plausible that this iconographic choice was an intentional and early symbolic interpretation of the island. This symbolism refers to the three prominent geographical points of Sicily. This peculiar representation could therefore provide new perspectives on the perception and identity of the island in ancient times.
The images depict myths, beliefs, deities, heroes, legendary soldiers, battles and rituals, symposia, sports, theater, dance, tools and work, all of which are crucial for a deeper comprehension of many aspects of the Greek religion, culture and daily life.
Zeus Gallery
Heads of Atlantes or Telamones
Lion head gutter-spouts
Michele Lizzi Auditorium
Corinthian helmet, 5th century BC
Terracotta female head
These decorative figures, in their symbolism, have also been interpreted as representing the defeated Carthaginians, who were imprisoned and enslaved during the time of the tyrant Theron of Akragas. Even today, “The Giant”, a silent survivor of the Battle of Himera, mindful of the Carthaginian defeat at the hands of the Greeks, bears the heavy weight of the downfall on his shoulders.
Ephebe or Apollo?
The famous Ephebe of Agrigento is a statue sculptured in the 5th century BC that still amazes visitors today, like so many of the other masterpieces from Akragas. Its creator must have been a great artist.
The beautiful statue, expressing harmony and lightness despite being made of marble, astonishes with its refined plasticity and perfection of execution. The expertly crafted details reveal anatomical research and a meticulous study of proportions.
New studies and recent research suggest that the Ephebe is the statue of Apollo, as the first and oldest interpretation suggests.
The Gela Krater
This monumental and precious Attic red-figure volute krater stands in the center of a room. It was produced in Gela and acts as a reminder of the connection between Akragas and the city that founded it. Attributed to the Niobid Painter, it depicts an Amazonomachy, a story of love but also of death at the hands of Achilles. The victim is Penthesilea, the queen of the Amazons, who came to Troy to avenge the death of Hector, slain by the son of Thetis.
