The Multiple Roles of Women in Antiquity.
Through the permanent exhibitions of the Museum of Cycladic Art

This exhibition focuses on women’s position and the roles they were called upon to play in antiquity, from Prehistory to the late Hellenistic period. As the centuries have rolled by, a woman’s position has swung and shifted between her being restricted to the confines of the house and her becoming increasingly visible in everyday life. In ancient times, the contexts in which women existed were generally suffocating, as it was their relationship with men – their father, husband, or brother – that principally shaped their social position. However, even so constrained, women in antiquity not only survived, but also found important roles to play. Roles indeed not so different from those of the modern woman. We can draw significant conclusions about the roles of women in antiquity from the written sources and the archaeological finds we have at our disposal. Particularly important for understanding the position of women is the testimony of Athens of the Classical period: the cradle of democracy it may have been, but at the same time it offered but a limited role for women.

Of course, women’s roles in antiquity go far beyond an Atheno-centric approach. Every archaeological object that depicts them or was intended to be used by women tells something of their story, their social interactions, their relationship with a man. Thanks to these archaeological objects the history of women and the parts they played may be observed as far back in time as Prehistory.

In the exhibition, the reality of women unfolds through selected antiquities from the Museum’s permanent collections dating from Prehistory to the Hellenistic period from mainland Greece, the islands and Cyprus: marble Cycladic figurines, terracotta “Tanagra figurines” or Cypriot priestesses along with two-dimensional goddesses and mortals on vases provide the background to examine the female figure throughout time. A short film highlighting the evolving position of women in antiquity is also presented in which selected objects of the Museum narrate the multiple roles of women and the messages they carry from the past to the present.

More than 100 works by the world-acclaimed American artist Cindy Sherman are shown in the new exhibition of the Museum. The exhibition, the first showcasing Sherman’s works in a museum in Greece, includes some of her ground-breaking and influential works. Working by herself in the studio, Sherman transforms into various imagined characters in different contexts taking on all the roles required for the creation of her works.

The exhibition at the Museum of Cycladic Art focuses on women, their identity, and representation, and examines through Sherman’s works, a vast range of female stereotypes, posing ever-present questions.