The “wall of Theseion”

Who was Kyriakos Pittakis?

One of the most prominent personalities of the beginnings of Archaeology in Greece. Pittakis was born in Athens in 1798. In 1836 he was appointed Ephor of the Central Museum which at the time was housed in Hefaistos temple (Theseion), while in 1848 he was promoted to General Ephor of Antiquities. For many years he conducted the excavations in Akropolis and the restoration works in Parthenon, Erechteion and Propylaea. In 1833 he founded together with other prominent personalities the Archaeological Society at Athens in which he served as secretary and vice-president. Also, he was the writer and editor of the journal Archaeologike Ephemeris.

The archaeologist Kyriakos Pittakis (1798‐1863). Archive of the Archaeological Society at Athens.
The wall made by Pittakis. Photograph by Félix Bonfils, 19^th c.
The wall made by Pittakis. Photograph by Félix Bonfils, 19^th c.
The wall made by Pittakis. Photograph by Félix Bonfils, 19^th c.

From where did these sculpture come?

The sculptures that were collected by Pittakis were coming from monuments of Athens or Attica, preserved or ruined, and also from the first excavations that had been held in the Akropolis’ area. During the period of the Turkish Conquest various sculptures had been transferred on the rock of Akropolis to be used as construction material.

View of the Exhibition From the Christian Collection to the Byzantine Museum (1884-1930), that was held in Byzantine Museum (29/3/2002 to 7/1/2003). The wall by Pittakis; re-composition with sculptures that are now in the Museum.
Marble closure panel, 12th c. decorated with a cross and floral motives. This is one of the Byzantine sculptures that Pittakis collected during the 19th c. It entered the Museum in 1915. The sculpture is in the photograph by Bonfils. ΒΧΜ 3090
Part of a marble closure panel, 11th c. This is one of the Byzantine sculptures that Pittakis collected during the 19th c. The sculpture is in the photograph by Bonfils. ΒΧΜ 3091