Greece’s leading archaeological site and one of the monuments of world cultural heritage, the Acropolis, turned into a stage of kitsch with young men and women dressed in ancient Greek attires, with goddess Athina and god Poseidon blessing the event with their presence.
The unthinkable ‘event’ to entertain a group of tourists from India took place on Saturday, April 27, short before the gates to the monument were closed to visitors.
Young girls in ancient Greek costumes stood in the Propylaea, floured-white sandal-wearers impersonating the ancient kores and kouros stood on the concrete in front of the Parthenon, and two caricatures of ancient gods had taken place in front of the Erechtheion.
An organized and staged spectacle that took place around 7:30 p.m., that is at the time when regular visitors are notified to head towards the exit of the venue which closes its gates at 8 o’ clock in the evening.
An ethnic kitsch, a “tableau vivant*” of shabby aesthetics, as the president of Greek Archaeologists described it on an article on tvxs.gr.
The pictures of the unprecedented ‘event’ were uploaded on social media by Despoina Koutsoumba, the president of the Greek Archaeologists’ union, on Sunday and as expected triggered only negative comments.
Ακόμη ψάχνουμε να βρούμε τι συνέβη χτες στην #Ακροπολη
Άλλοι λένε ότι ήταν το πρώτο πριβέ, άλλοι ότι ήταν επίσημοι
Όποιος ξέρει κάτι, ας στείλει.
Το σίγουρο είναι οτι ο εξευτελισμός μας προχωρά ακάθεκτος pic.twitter.com/ui1nqcmLG5— Δέσποινα Κουτσούμπα (@dkutsumba) April 28, 2024
How could this have happened? Who gave permission for it? For whom was the spectacle intended? Was it in the context of “private guided tours on the Acropolis at a special price of 5,000 euros” as UK’s The Guardian recently reported?
A lot of questions but no official answer by the Culture Ministry still on Monday afternoon.
Following media pressure and outrage on social media, the Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Athens finally took position and said that ” the group of visitors on the site had a ticket as as there were many some in ancient Greek costumes went through, without being noticed by security personnel at the gate.” She announced that an internal investigation will be launched, Koutsoumba reported.
In addition, the ministry clarified that it was not one of the private exclusive visits, as they will start after May 10, 2024.
It should be recalled that according to legislation access and use of archaeological sites is prohibited to people wearing costumes and clothes that suggest a disguise in the archaeological sites. Followers of Dedecatheism dressed in ancient Greek garb who visit the monuments for reasons of worship are being chased away.
Guards at the entrance do not even allow children on the Acropolis and other sites, if they wear Carnival costumes.
What really happened on Saturday at the Acropolis?
The group in ancient costumes entered the Acropolis via the central guarded entrance.
The group of one hundred Indian businessmen, for whom the spectacle was organized and staged – entered the Acropolis through the exit.
All of them were provided with an individual ticket, so no one entered “unnoticed.”
They went up to the site, while on the guards’ wireless radios it was heard that “officials are coming up.”
When the dressed group took place in front of the monuments, those guards who were sensitized to apply the instructions they have for similar occasions, learned from the units chief that “they have permission” and “should not disturb them.”
The group stayed until around 8.30 pm, so after the normal closing of the archaeological site at 8 pm, treatment that – until now – only the officials have.
That the guards allegedly “didn’t notice” what happened is obviously not the case.
And it would be shameful to believe that a group of visitors along with a group of dressed-up “ancient Greeks” entered the guarded monument, the Acropolis, and no one took notice of them in advance.
None of this has happened and will not happen, because the group neither went up without consultation, nor fooled the guards. archaeologist Koutsoumba noted in her report.
The whole spectacle was arranged between a travel agent and a close – even though ‘unofficial’ – aidee of culture minister Lina Mendoni, the archaeologist revealed..
It is needless to recall that both in the Propylaea and at the entrance and exit of the Acropolis site, there are cameras installed that record the flow of visitors.
According to news website news247.gr, it was not only the spectacle inside the Acropolis rock but outside the Band of the Coast Guard had taken place, waiting for the esteemed Indian businessmen.
What is crystal clear is that nobody assumes responsibility for the ridiculous spectacle that if nothing else it insults the beauty and downgrades the importance of the Acropolis for the sake of some tourists. Pathetic!
*Tableau vivant, French for ‘living picture’, is a static scene containing one or more actors or models. They are stationary and silent, usually in costumes.
PS and to think that the Culture Ministry was furious over the Fashion Show in front of the stolen Parthenon Marbles at the British Museum LOL
As they say here in U.K, ” Money Talks”,But i think all countries do much the same in different ways.
Cringe 😬
the immediate and unconditional dismissal of the culture minister and whoever from her on down in the chain of command was involved in this would be the absolute minimum required now.
Shock horror , really , Greece has been selling it’s cultural soul for years, never happens at the British museum ,perhaps you should move the rest there . Reality check , that’s where your money comes from, and if the tourists want it ,that’s what they get.
Who cares.. let them express themselves. People always complaining…
The Greeks “sell it all” to Americans, British, Israelis, Germans! Why not sell something to the Indians too? Money does indeed talks filthy!