Museum of Apollonia

Coordinates: 40°43′13″N 19°28′18″E / 40.720333°N 19.471722°E / 40.720333; 19.471722

Museum of Apollonia
The museum contains a collection of artifacts unearthed in the nearby ancient site of Apollonia.
Location in Albania
Established	1958
Dissolved	1991
Location	Fier County,  Albania
Type	Archaeological museum.

The Museum of Apollonia or Fier Archaeological Museum is an archaeological museum approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Fier, Albania. It was established in 1958.^[1] The museum contains artifacts unearthed nearby from the ancient Greek town of Apollonia and is close to the Ardenica Monastery.

History

The first attempts to conduct excavations in Apollonia were made during World War I by Austrian archaeologists who unearthed and explored mainly the walls that encircled the city. Systematic excavations began in 1924 by a French archaeological mission directed by Leon Rey, who brought to light a complex of monuments at the center of the city. During the late 1920s and 1930s, Rey pressed for an archaeological museum to house the artifacts his team uncovered but lack of finance prolonged it.^[2] Finally on October 8, 1936 the collection of archaeological finds at Apollonia were exhibited in the government building in Vlorë, which suffered bombardment and looting during World War II.^[2] After the war, further archeological finds saw another campaign for a public museum, but in the Apollonia area. The archaeologists S. Anamali and H. Ceka successfully raised the finances needed to open a museum and finally it opened in 1958, in the village of Pojan, within the ancient site.^[2] During the communist period was a considerable success.^[2] A lot of excavations made by Albanian archaeologists during a 40 year period were exhibited in the museum. However, in 1991 it was looted and closed.^[2]

Today the museum remains closed and is managed by the National Archaeological Park of Apollonia, the Albanian Institute of Archaeology and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports.^[2] These bodies have proposed to reopen the museum, although as of 2010 ongoing financial problems are preventing it from reopening to the public.^[2]

Collection

The museum is housed in a 14th century building which was previously the monastery of St. Mary. It is accessed via a double wooden door and a grand entrance on the west side. The museum has 7 pavilions, a gallery and 2 porticos. The bulk of the collection is housed in 6 rooms on the ground floor to the north and west of the complex.^[2] An impressive collection of statues is located in a portico on the east side and number of historically important frescoes remain in the building from medieval times; these are mainly housed in the refectory.^[2] Fragments of inscriptions and other spolia can be found on the walls and the museum also has a collection of medieval mosaics.

See also

• Ardenica Monastery

References

1. ^ Saltzman, Michael (2003). The World of Learning 2004 (54 ed.). Europa Publications, Routledge. ISBN 1857431820. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CKtuz7SJJagC&pg=PA43&dq=Durr%C3%ABs+Archaeological+Museum&hl=en&ei=XTJdTJu-BtG94Abmj4DhBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} "Preliminary Technical Assessment" (PDF). Council of Europe. http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/cooperation/see/irppsaah/PTA/Albania/AL_24-PTA-APPROVED_web.pdf. Retrieved August 9, 2010. ^{[dead link]}

External links

• Overview