Christmas and stars are somehow intertwined. His festive family program Acropolis Museumentitled “Myths high in the sky”, which will be presented on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December 2024, makes this connection happen in the most imaginative way.

Imaginary story tellings, accompanied by music and games such as scavenger hunts, prompt children aged 3-5 years old – but also parents! – to look up in the sky and imagine them myths behind the constellations of Taurus, Dolphin, Leo, Centaur, Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.

“We wanted to do something related to Christmas, but also to the Acropolis Museum and its collections. We thought, therefore, that the stars can give us the trigger and the occasion to talk about the museum’s exhibits, as well as about the constellations themselves”, archaeologist Katerina Diamantidou, deputy head of the Museum’s educational programs department, tells APE-MPE Acropolis, on the occasion of the festive family program that will be presented in the “children’s corner”, on the second floor of the museum.

“That is, how certain myths talk about the transformation of gods, creatures, people into constellations that we can still see in the sky today. And the truth is that we had another thought behind it: To challenge the children to look at the sky, to dream, to imagine… In other words, the program is not only educational in nature. It also has to do with strengthening the institution of the family and, at the same time, with letting the imagination run wild,” adds the archaeologist. And because the program is aimed at 3-5 year olds – “so we are talking about very young ages” – the choices were made with great care and attention. “Children at these ages get tired and bored easily. That’s why we chose to do a combination of storytelling, with music backing – a soundscape – so that by interacting with the children through music, we ‘have’ them with us throughout the program and they won’t get bored”points out K. Diamantidou.

The search for selected objects in the museum, which match the myths that will be presented, has the same goal. “At the end of the program we will give a booklet with a little information about each exhibit, encouraging the children, together with their parents, to find them, learn a little about them, as well as about the constellation we are referring to”he adds.

On this occasion, let’s be children for a while and “travel” to the magical world of myths and constellations, as they will be presented in the program of the Acropolis Museum “Myths high in the sky”.

The rapture of Europe

As a mythical subject it has inspired many artists for centuries. It tells of Zeus who fell in love with a beautiful daughter, Princess Europa. To approach her he transformed into a very beautiful, strong white bull that appeared in front of her while the girl was playing carefree on a beach with her friends. The girl was fascinated by the bull and did not hesitate to sit on his back. As soon as this was done, the bull immediately rushed into the sea, taking Europa away from where she lived in Phoenicia and carrying her to Crete, where they were united and had three children – the legend also says that, later, Europa married Asterion. Zeus, to commemorate their story, ‘carried’ the bull high into the sky and it became a constellation in which only its front part is depicted, as the rest is supposed to be submerged in the sea, as they traveled until they reached Crete.

In the program, the myth of the rapture of Europe is related to a vase for aromatic oils in the form of a bull’s head, dating to the Archaic era (560-530 BC) and exhibited on the ground floor of the Acropolis Museum: https://www.theacropolismuseum .gr/aggeio-se-morfi-kefalioy-tayroy.

Hercules and the Nemean Lion

The next myth concerns Hercules and the Nemean Lion and the constellation Leo. The story is pretty well known. Hercules was called by Eurystheus to perform certain feats. One of them was the extermination of the lion that plagued Nemea. According to the myth, the lion, placed in the area by Hera, destroyed everything in its path, frightened people and animals. It was a difficult task because the lion’s skin was so hard that no weapon could pierce it, so no one could kill it from a distance with a bow or any other weapon. He had to fight hand to hand.

Hercules found the lion in a cave, which had two openings. He thought that if he entered through one opening, the lion might escape through the other. So, he closed one opening with stones and left the other free through which he entered. Finally the fight with the lion took place and Heracles won, who took his skin which he always wore from then on and became his characteristic symbol.

For the legend, the children should find the lion-headed gutter of the archaic era (525-500 BC) from the Ancient Temple of Athena Poliada located on the first floor of the Museum: Acropolis https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/ arhaios-naos-athinas-poliadas-leontokefali-ydrorroi.

The musician Arionas

The next myth concerns the constellation Delphinus. It is the story of Arion, a famous and great musician, who won prizes in music competitions. At one point he won a competition in Sicily, where musicians and poets from all over the world participated. His prize was a bag of gold coins.

When he took the ship home, the sailors of the crew, who had learned of this treasure, wanted not only to steal it from him, but also to throw Arion into the sea to drown. But Apollo appears in his sleep, reveals to him what is about to happen and advises him how to save himself.

So when the sailors went to carry out their plan, Arion asked them as a last favor to play his lyre. His wonderful melody attracted many dolphins and the musician, having been tutored by the god, jumps into the sea where one of the dolphins rescues him and brings him to shore. So Apollo to please the dolphin makes it a constellation in the sky.

For this specific myth, a bronze figurine with a naked neo on the back of a dolphin from the classical era (475-450 BC) was chosen, located on the first floor of the Museum: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/neos-se- dolphins

The Centaur Chiron and Hercules

The myth concerns one of the very good centaurs, Chiron, who was wise, just and highly educated. That is why he stood out from all the other centaurs, who are presented as an element of barbarism. Chiron was also the teacher of many heroes, to whom he imparted his wisdom, especially the art of hunting and, in some cases, medicine. Because Chiron knew very well how to cure every disease and wound. The fable also has a version that is a bit sad and won’t exactly be told that way to children.

Hercules, who was a friend of Chiron, at some point met another centaur, Pholos, with whom they sat down to eat. When Heracles asked for wine, Pholos begged him not to drink from what he had in the jar which was shared by all the centaurs because they would be angry. But when at the instigation of Heracles it was opened—there was an order of Hephaestus that the jar should be opened only if Heracles appeared—there arose such a fine and strong odor that all the centaurs took it lightly and ran away in a rage, carrying stones and firs to them attack.

A terrible battle ensued, but Heracles was stronger than all the centaurs and, as the legend says, he chased them to Chiron’s house where they had taken refuge to escape. During the battle, however, and while Heracles was shooting poison arrows at their end, one of them struck Chiron who, despite being the only immortal of the centaurs, was unable to heal himself. His pain was so great that he switched places with the mortal Prometheus so that he could die and be saved. After his death, Zeus placed him high in the sky and thus became the constellation of the Centaur – or Sagittarius.

For the myth, one of the metopes on the south side of the Parthenon was chosen, which have as their main theme the Centaur Battle: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/parthenonas-notia-metopi-1

Arcadas and Callisto

A story of motherly love is that of Callisto, who was also a very beautiful nymph whom Zeus fell in love with. When he slept with her and she became pregnant, the enraged Hera turned her into a bear to get revenge – according to one version of the myth. But Zeus caught up and saves the child – or sends Mercury and saves him.

At one time the son born of this union, Arcadas, a very handsome young man and an excellent hunter, went into the forest to hunt. There appeared before him the bear, which was his mother Callisto. Terrified, Arcadas prepared to kill her, but Zeus intervened again and transformed them into constellations, the Great and the Little Bear. So they stayed forever together in heaven side by side.

For the story of the Great and Little Bear, children are invited to find the statue of a small bear from the classical era (4th century BC), located on the first floor of the Acropolis Museum: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/ agalma-mikris-arkoydas