This document contains summaries from various artifacts housed in the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, told from the perspective of the artifacts. It includes summaries from a 4th century BC marble grave stele of Kalliorista and her slave Douris, a classic period marble grave stele of Krito and Timarista, a 2nd century BC marble statue of the god Asclepius, a 2nd century BC marble grave stele of a young warrior, and a 1st century BC marble statue of the goddess Aphrodite. The artifacts describe their histories, current placements in the museum, and interactions with visitors.

1. Stories from the
Museum
Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
7th Junior High School of Rhodes

2. Our country Greece,
our Island Rhodes

3. Our town
Rhodes

4. Our town
Rhodes

5. Our town
Rhodes

6. Archaeological
Museum of Rhodes

7. Μarble grave stele of
Kalliorista from 4th century
B.C

8. “I am unfortunate Kalliorista and this girl in front of
me is my favourite slave, Douris. It’s almost three
thousand years that I have stood frozen, motionless
on this marble stone, weeping for my misfortune.
It was the last day of the month Ekatomvaion. I had
once more followed my father Philaretus, a great
copper merchant, on a trading voyage to Cyprus.
Though I was grown-up and married to my beloved
Damocles, I could not spoil my father’s pleasure
who wanted his only daughter with him. And I
followed him on the fatal voyage. That evening after
dining at local ruler Agathocles’ house, we were
attacked by bandits. My father was not able to
protect me despite his will.

10. When they brought my dead body back to Rhodes,
Damocles, inconsolable, blamed himself for having
consented to that voyage. For three days he wept
and let no one approach. On the fourth day he
arranged for this headstone to be made in my
honour. It depicts me and my favourite slave who is
holding this casket with my jewellery.
The people who discovered me treated me with love,
care and attention. They put me in a very nice place,
where lots of people visit me every day. Many of
them try to imitate me and others speak with great
admiration. Every day I can hear the whispers and
laughters of the small visitors who keep me
company until the lights go out and I sink back into
past memories.”

11. Μarble grave stele of Krito and
Timarista, classic period

12. “Suddenly my mother dies, bids me farewell for the
next world. Despair, grief, loneliness overwhelm me.
I try to understand and accept my mother’s loss but
I cannot. I know that I am old enough not to need her
care, but I cannot and will not get used to her loss. I
have not learned to live without her. The world
around me is empty, words do not console me.
I can see understanding and compassion in the
faces of the visitors of the museum which eases my
grief a little. But when the doors of the museum
close, grief comes back more intense. The closing
noise of the large door frightens me. But there is
always the next day, tomorrow’s visitors, dear
visitors who console me, who without ever realizing
it give meaning to my existence…”

13. Marble statue of the god
Asclepius from 2nd century B.C

14. “Hello, I am Asclepius, the greatest god of
Medicine and Health. People loved and honoured
me for my healing abilities. They worshipped me
and honoured me in temples and sanctuaries in
many parts of Greece. My favourite one though is
on Kos, an island near Rhodes. Asclepion is built
on the slope of a low hill full of trees and with a
lovely view of the sea. It was near the ancient city
and was full of admirable donations, works of
famous artists. People came there from all over
the world for me to heal them. I appeared in the
patients’ dreams and suggested their treatment.

16. Now I stand here in a corner, watching
visitors go by me to stand in front of
Aphrodite. Very few notice me. But
sometimes some stand before me, lean
towards me and secretly touch me. Then I am
moved and whisper a secret about healing
power and the magic of art to their ear. Come
and I may tell you too…”

17. Μarble grave stele from 2nd
century B.C.

18. “I was born in Rhodes in the 2nd century B.C.
and died young. I was a brave warrior, I died
fighting for my country. This headstone was
made and placed on my tomb to honour me.
A lot has happened since: wars, sieges,
disasters, earthquakes… and I remained
under the ground for centuries, hearing
conquerors pass one after the other over my
dear island. Until I was discovered by
archeologists and now I am in the
archeological museum of Rhodes.

20. I lean against a pillar, hold my helmet, look at it
and remember my previous life and I wonder:
was everything worth it? Is glory more important
than youth and life? Am I happy now? I am tired
of standing up all those years, with this heavy
helmet in my hands, wearing the same clothes,
without shoes… Thousands of visitors pass in
front of me every year. But I like the young
ones. They stand before me, take photographs,
sometimes they try to stand like me. I envy their
youth and unconcern. I want to run behind
them, to tell them to enjoy their life and live it
with enthusiasm and love. But none of this can
be done. When the evening comes, visitors go,
the lights go out and the only thing heard is our
whispers, our sighs…”

21. Bathing Aphrodite, marble
statue, 1st century B.C

22. “I am the Aphrodite of Rhodes, the most
beautiful and famous exhibit of the museum.
The sculptor who created me made me raise
my head as I was bathing in a river and heard
someone call me. I stood like this, surprised
and motionless, watching centuries go by,
conquerors come one after the other,
people’s habits change.
At first, when I was presented to the
Rhodian people, I was very proud because
everyone admired my beauty. A rich
merchant bought me to decorate his garden.
Beautiful times!

24. Until one day the house collapsed in an earthquake and
I was doomed to remain under the ground for several
centuries. When I was rediscovered, I became again
the centre of attention. I escaped plunders and Arab
raids and during the Knights’ Rule I decorated the
garden in the Palace of the Grand Magister. People
came to admire me from all over Europe!
Then, disasters and plunders again, until I ended
up here, in the museum, together with other statues. I
am placed in a glass protective box in the middle of a
room, facing visitors’ admiring eyes. At first I felt a little
awkward about my nudity and my weight. Today women
are tall and thin. In my times my body proportions were
ideal, but today criteria seem to have changed… But I
keep being admired and photographed. Today a group
of girls stood in front of me for a long time. They were
talking about me and in the end they tried to imitate
me… Well now, that is not that simple…

26. Sometimes I am tired of myself. I would
like to be able to get up, to stretch my
legs, to lie down, to get dressed and go
out for a while, to follow these happy kids
and tour about my town with them. But
this cannot be done…
My name is Aphrodite, and if you
want to see me, you have to come to
Rhodes, to the Museum, I will be
expecting you!”

27. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH
See you in Rhodes