World Wonder comes to Auckland
World- class exhibition of ancient Greek artefacts coming to Auckland Museum next year.
It was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World over 2300 years ago – and a priceless series of iconic sculptures from the famed Mausoleum at Halikarnassus is coming to Auckland next year.
To be staged at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in July, the exhibition – called Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes is from the British Museum’s worldrenowned collection from the ancient Greeks – and is the largest selection of ancient artefacts ever loaned by the museum to New Zealand.
Key among them are remnants from the Amazonian frieze which used to adorn the Mausoleum, built about 350BC by a Greek governor of Halicarnassus – now known as the beautiful, modern- day port city of Bodrum, in Turkey. That governor was Mausolus and the impressive structure he built for himself and his sister Artemisia gave the English language the word “mausoleum” – an above- ground tomb.
The Mausoleum was 45m high, decorated with works by leading Greek sculptors of the time – making the building so attractive, the Greek poet Antipater labelled it one of the seven wonders of the (then) world. The others were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the only one still standing – the Great Pyramid of Giza, in Egypt.
Sadly, the Mausoleum at Halikarnassus no longer stands – the last of the six destroyed “wonders” to go, though mystery surrounds what misfortune befell it. Historians have theorised it was subject to several earthquakes sometime between the 12th century and the 14th, as there is no record of it being affected by war or invasion.
However, the frieze still exists and shows scenes from the Greek battle with the Amazons – the famed female warrior tribe of Greek mythology who many believe were the first incarnation of feminism. One of the figures in the frieze is Herakles (known to the Romans and most of the modern world as Hercules) – the mythical warrior who was set 12 ( herculean) tasks to atone for a crime.
One of those tasks was to take the magical girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons – and one part of the frieze shows Heracles grasping the hair of an Amazon (thought to be Hippolyta) while raising his club in a threatening manner. The Amazon myth has sustained well into the modern day, with the 2017 movie Wonder Woman’s title figure supposedly raised by Hippolyta, as was the heroine of the 1970s TV series of the same name.
“There are over 170 objects in this exhibition and, with support from Ateed, this will allow Aucklanders to visit a world- class exhibition in their own back yard,” says Dr David Gaimster, chief executive of Auckland War Memorial Museum.
“This impressive and impactful introduction to an ancient culture has never before been showcased in
Auckland in this way or on this scale – and will enable Aucklanders and visitors to the city the opportunity to get up close and explore a wide range of artefacts never before seen in New Zealand.”
Ancient Greek civilisation has had a profound influence on the development of language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science, and the arts around the world, he says: “Artistic, physical and intellectual competition pervaded all of Greek society and this exhibition, coinciding with the 2020 Olympics in Toyko, highlights that competition can unify, resulting in achievement and innovation.
“As we acknowledge the 90th anniversary of Auckland War Memorial Museum in Auckland Domain, the influence of the ancient Greeks can be seen at this very site, reflected in the architecture of this iconic heritage building,” he says.
The exhibition will be at Auckland Museum from 3 July to 18 October next year. It is the first time the exhibition has been brought to the southern hemisphere by the British Museum and is being toured in partnership with the National Museum of Australia in Canberra and the Western Australian Museum in Perth who will stage the exhibition later.
The exhibition will be hosted in the Museum’s new special exhibition spaces which are being built now as part of the Museum’s transformations. Tickets are on sale in the new year.