Greece’s new National Geological Museum, described as a gem among similar museums across Europe, has opened its doors to the public, showcasing the country’s rich mineral wealth while introducing visitors to the magical world of minerals and stones.
The museum, located in Thracomacedones right outside Athens, has been created by the Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (HSGME) on the grounds where the agency has its headquarters. The aim of the new museum is to protect, preserve, organize and promote the mineral wealth and geologic history of Greece. It is the first, coordinated effort by the Greek state to promote the geological heritage of Greece.
“[The museum] is the dream of a lifetime for the young generations,” Konstantinos Saltas, President of HSGME told reporters during the presentation of the new museum. “It’s one of Europe’s best geological museums, a gem. We are hoping that the new generation will come to learn about our country’s wealth along with the mining potential, since where there are mines, the populations have remained and these areas have developed throughout the years.”
The collections featured are some of the most extensive in the world and are addressing both the general public and more scientifically-oriented individuals. In the halls of the new museum are presented important geological specimens from across Greece, such as minerals, fossils and rocks while visitors can witness the evolution of geological research and the preservation of Greece’s geological heritage.
Aside from the vast number of rare minerals, 40 percent of the displays are virtual, enabling visitors to have a virtual reality experience. One of the museum’s highlights is the virtual tours, through which the public can venture through the historic mines of Lavrio and Chalkidiki, the emerald mines of Naxos and Meteora’s unique geological structures.
Gold and silver mines forged the glory of ancient Greece
The mineral wealth of ancient Greece played a crucial role not only in making weapons and armor for its victorious armies but also in funding the building of ships and war machines. Furthermore, the precious metals were necessary for the Greeks to mint coins, make jewelry, and decorate elaborate monuments and temples to honor their heroes and worship their gods.
Considering its relatively small size, ancient Greece contained an extraordinary variety of mineral wealth of great value. For instance, Homer mentioned gold very often, both in the Iliad and the Odyssey. At the beginning of the 8th century BC, several mining centers emerged in Rodopi, Paggaion, and Thassos in northern Greece, in Lavrio in Attica, and the islands of Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos, and others.
The mines in northern Greece are famous for their gold deposits. On the other hand, gold objects found in the Peloponnese indicate that they were not far from a small placer deposit. In Attica, the mines in Lavrio produced tons of silver beginning in the Classical period.
The golden artifacts found in the graves at Mycenae indicate that there was plentiful gold, silver, and bronze in the Mycenaean period. In Homeric poetry, we have the mention of “Mycenae rich in gold.”
Since ancient times, Greece had plentiful industrial minerals. Notably, these included magnesite, copper, perlite, pumice, asbestos, and marbles as well as globally important metallic ores, especially bauxite. Furthermore, quartz, feldspars, kaolin, emery, and other minerals have also been mined on a secondary scale.
There was metal mining activity during the archaic period, but there is vague information about the sources of the metals. However, of all metallurgical centers of Greek antiquity, Lavrio is at the top because of the importance and duration of its activities but also because of the value and significance of the impressive archaeological findings.
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