The Epigraphical Museum
Athens Museum Guide

Epigraphical Museum, 1 Tositsa Street, Athens 10682. Tel: 210-821-7637. Free! Daily except Mondays, 8:30-2:30pm.

Athens' Epigraphical Museum is next door and around the corner from the National Archeological Museum and contains over 14,000 graven in stone inscriptions.

It is the largest museum of its kind in the world. Most items in the collection were discovered in Attika and mainland Greece but many are from Asia Minor. The inscriptions range in dates from the 8th Century BC to early Christian times. Some are in Hebrew and Latin but most in ancient Greek. This free museum is of interest, I guess, to stone workers and hard core ancient history buffs while being very convenient to main paid entrance museum next door.

Above top is the exterior of the Epigraphical Museum. Below are its hours.

Next is a view of one of several large galleries.

Above left is a partial view of room one with a fragment of  a stele from 438 BC and the financial account of those monitoring Phedias construction of the gold and ivory statue of Athena in the Parthenon. Phedias constructed the statue with removable gold plates and when his honesty was called into question removed them all in one night and had them weighed and was exonerated. No fool he!

Below is a specific exhibit view of room 2 which contains this, the oldest inscription to have been found at the Acropolis from the 8th century BC.

Below is  a partial view of a room which contains lists of votive offerings to various gods and many ancient laws.