Unprecedented Loan of Greek Antiquities to Berlin

Visitors to the new exhibition entitled "The Classical Period of Ancient Greece - Idea or Reality," now open in Berlin and running through June 2, 2002, may well be awestruck by the 600 first-rate Greek antiquities lent by museums from around the world. But the real behind-the-scenes buzz is around an unprecedented loan of more than 101 antiquities from Greece itself.

The move by the Greek government, not noted for its willingness to let antiquities travel beyond its borders even for museum exhibitions, may well be a carrot for the German government's willingness to return sections of the Philippeion monument in Olympia that are in Germany's possession.

In any event, visitors to the historic exhibition are the winners. Germany's museum-goers will be able to see architectural elements of the Acropolis, beautiful examples of ancient sculpture, pottery and Attic vase-painting, as well as objects relating to everyday life in ancient Greece.

For more information click Berlin's Greek Exhibition.