26 October 2007 – 20 January 2008

The golden griffon. Royal tombs of the Scyths

The Scythians and the nomadic peoples related to them were the dominant historical force on the Eurasian steppes of the 8th to 3rd cent. BC. In a worldwide first, our exhibition “Under the Sign of the Golden Griffin.
The Royal Tombs of the Scythians” now brings to you the rich legacy of these horsemen in all its full diversity - presenting their history and their culture, all the way from their early ranges along the Yenisei River up to the very doorstep of
Central Europe. A spotlight is turned on the far-ranging relationship already existing between Asia and Europe long before the famous Silk Road ever came into existence. The centrepieces of the exhibition include not only the most famous of the lavishly furnished princely tombs from different regions but also the fascinating discoveries of recent years.
A Spectacular Archaeological Discovery In his book “Histories”, Herodotus, a Greek historian, tells of the „Land of the Gold-Guarding Griffins“, said to lie somewhere in southern Siberia. In 2000-2003, the German Archaeological Institute and the State Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, carried out joint excavations in this very region. A burial mound was excavated in Ar?an, in the “Valley of the Kings”, close to the border between Russia and Mongolia. The rich contents, including thousands of golden objects, are rated as one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of recent years. The find may actually be compared in importance with the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Address

Hypo Kulturstiftung
Theatinerstrasse 8
80333 München
phone +49 89 22 44 12
http://www.hypo-kunsthalle.de

Opening Hours

Daily 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

New building opened 2001; architects: Herzog and De Meuron

Within 10 days
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