Archaeology of Athen's Metro

Posted by Natasha Sheldon May 12, 2008

Athens’s expanded metro system not only allows sightseers to reach the city's attractions quicker than before; it allows them to appreciate history as they travel.

During the construction of the new stations and lines, much of the city's previously undiscovered past was unveiled to the modern world. Pottery, graves and everyday objects have been found in quantities. Although the finds may seem mundane when compared to the Parthenon, they are none the less impressive and offer a glimpse of everyday life in ancient Athens.

The way the finds are displayed is unique too. Station entrances are turned into mini museums with cases displaying pottery, tools, even statues. Inside, between platforms each station has a wall set aside as a display case. Behind a clear Perspex window, the stratigraphy of the site is perfectly preserved, with key finds labelled and in situ, allowing commuters to view a cross section of time.

The station of Monastiraki is particularly effective. Commuters literally walk over history. A clear, Perspex floor has been set over a Roman sewer, workshops and an ancient river bed that have not seen the light of day for a couple of millennium.