CULTURE
The important sites of Greek
antiquity that attracted European noblemen to the Greek lands
in the 18th century, and which were such a potent influence on
architectural styles in the West, continue to attract tourists
from all over the world. Newly excavated sites such as the supposed
tomb of Philip II of Macedon at Verghina and the Pompei-like remains
at Thera are further indications of an astonishingly rich heritage
from antiquity that has still not been fully explored. Over the
past century there has been a greater awareness of the richness
of the architectural and artistic heritage of the medieval empire
of Byzantium.
Principal museums devoted
to Greek antiquities include the National Archaeological Museum,
the Byzantine Museum, and the Acropolis Museum, all in Athens,
and the archaeological museums in Olympia and Thessaloníki.
The archaeological museum in Iráklion on the island of
Crete has an impressive collection of Minoan and early Greek antiquities.
Also in Athens are the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art, focused
on the ancient Aegean Cycladic culture; the Benaki Museum, devoted
to postclassical art and antiquities; and the National Historical
Museum, housed in the old parliament building, with collections
relating to Greek independence and the country’s subsequent
expansion. The Museum of Greek Folk Art in Athens contains a rich
collection of traditional costumes.
Traditional Greek dances such
as the hasapiko, the tsamiko, and the kalamatiano continue to
be performed at weddings and other celebrations. Ethnic Greek
refugees from Turkish lands in Asia Minor were forcibly moved
to Greece during the 1920s, and they brought with them their own
dance tradition. Refugees from cities of the Ottoman Empire brought
rebétika, songs of the urban working class that combined
Greek traditions with Eastern influences. The refugees’
music and dance have had a considerable influence on the development
of contemporary Greek popular music, including bouzouki (a Greek
stringed instrument) music.
