As part of the participation of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki in the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe ITER VITIS, a hands-on workshop will take place, focusing on the significance of vine in diet and Greek culture during antiquity.
The workshop will be held at the Museum, in collaboration with Dr. Kyriaki Tsirtsi (archaeologist/archaeobotanist), postdoctoral researcher at the Cyprus Institute and the M.H. Wiener Laboratory of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. The session will include an introduction to the topic with visual materials, interactive activities, and the opportunity to observe ancient carbonised grape seeds and other samples through stereomicroscopes available to the public.
Admission:
General admission: 4€. Reservation is required by phone at 2313 310201 from 09:00 to 14:00. Visitors will enter and purchase tickets through the Museum's main entrance.
About the Activity:
Grapes were not just a healthy snack! Vine leaves, grape clusters and berries are uniquely and prominently depicted on many of the Museum’s artefacts.
This observation will guide us in discovering the importance of grapes in Macedonia’s past. Participants will locate artefacts featuring grapes, such as the Derveni Krater, the mosaic floor with a Dionysian scene, and the statue of Dionysus. They will study grape seeds under a microscope and discuss the various ways grapes were consumed in the 1st millennium BCE. The workshop will reveal the vital role this simple, yet significant fruit played in the daily life of the past.
The activity begins with a brief introductory presentation to help children understand how and where ancient seeds can be found. Children will then use provided photos to explore the Museum and locate objects related to grapes. Afterward, they will be divided into groups to engage in different activities, such as matching games and seed analysis under the microscope.
Educational Material:
Story: “Ms. Excavation”, a tale narrating the time-traveling journey of an ancient grape.
Photographs (A4 format): Images of Museum artefacts, such as the Derveni Krater, will guide children in identifying these objects in the Museum's halls. Children will note details such as the artefact type (e.g. vase, statue, coin), dating, and the stratigraphic context of its discovery (e.g. tomb, house, sanctuary). Through this activity, they will understand the wide temporal span of grape depictions and the variety of their deposition locations.
Matching Game: A printed A4 activity that involves associating grapes and their by-products with relevant objects (e.g., drinking vessels, wine presses). This will illustrate the ways grapes were consumed and processed.
Fill-in-the-Blank Activity: Children will complete sentences next to images (A4 format) of grape-related products, by-products, and objects (from vineyards to production tools and consumption vessels). This reinforces knowledge about the grape cycle, from cultivation to processing and consumption.
Seed Study: Participants will examine ancient and modern grape seeds, raisins, and fresh grape clusters from various varieties grown in northern and southern Greece. They will compare macroscopic differences and similarities by region and observe ancient and modern grape seeds under the stereomicroscope.
