The ancient gods are alive and well in Melbourne, with the launch of the global exclusive exhibition Rituals: Gifts for the Gods on Thursday 29 May. The first outcome of a landmark partnership between the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Greece, and Hellenic Museum, Australia, this original exhibition explores humanity’s shared desire to connect with the divine by tracing the history of religious and cultic rituals in the ancient Greek world.
Rituals brings an exquisite collection of 119 ancient artefacts to Australia from over a dozen of Greece’s most revered museums and Ephorates of Antiquities, including the Acropolis Museum, Hellenic National Archaeological Museum, and the Archaeological Museums of Delphi, Olympia and Heraklion. This is the first time many of these objects have been exhibited outside of Greece.
Together, the collection embodies the hopes, fears and desires of ages past, and reveals a story of mortal longing for divine connection. Beginning with the earliest cults and sanctuaries of the ancient Aegean, the exhibition carries visitors through the Neolithic, Minoan and Mycenaean periods before delving into the adoption of Olympian gods and mythologies. From here, horizons expand to explore ancient games, festivals, health and healing, divination, and more.
Particular highlights include the oldest object in the collection, a Neolithic figurine dating to 5800 BCE; archetypal examples of Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean figurines; a 3,000-year-old tablet inscribed with the earliest known Greek language, Linear B; artefacts relating to the ancient Olympic Games, including an iconic statuette of Zeus; marble statuary from the Acropolis; offerings from the Sanctuary of Delphi; and minutely detailed lead figurines from Sparta, a votive type not found in any other region.
The official opening on Thursday 29 May was a joyous celebration, with over 150 guests enjoying an exclusive preview of this remarkable new collection. Distinguished guests included The Hon. Senator Jana Stewart, Hon. Nick Staikos MP, Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP, Hon. Peter Khalil MP, Hon. Kat Theophanous MP, the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne Dimitra Georgantzoglou, as well as Hellenic Museum board members, supporters, members and community.
Following introductions from Senator Stewart, Minister Staikos and the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, proceedings were concluded by Hellenic Museum Director Sarah Craig, who left guests with the following sentiment before inviting them to enter the exhibition:
“This exhibition is not simply about what people believed, but about why they believed—and how belief finds expression in every culture, every era, and every corner of the world. May Rituals: Gifts for the Gods awaken in all of us a sense of wonder. A reminder of the things that endure. And an invitation to see the ancient not as distant, but as something alive, within our questions, our ceremonies, and our shared search for meaning.”
Rituals: Gifts for the Gods is now open 10AM–4PM daily at the Hellenic Museum, Melbourne CBD. Entry is included with general admission, and all visitors under the age of 18 visit free!
Presented by the Hellenic Museum in partnership with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, and generously supported by the Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance Program and the Victorian State Government.
Photos by Samantha Meuleman
