Page 68 - Erasmus Let's be Eco-sustainAble, towards 2030 Dissemination Activity book

Activity - Exploring, Filming, Documenting Pierides Museum in Larnaca

The Pierides Museum is a museum in Larnaca, Cyprus that was founded by

the Pierides Foundation. It is the nation's oldest private museum.

The placard on the museum building says (as of 2013) "Perides Museum -

Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation". The collection was initiated by the

enlightened forefather of the Pierides family, Demetrios Pierides, in the 19th
century (1811 - 1895), with the aim of protecting and preserving Cyprus'

antiquities and preventing the loss of the islands history. his efforts were

extremely important since during the 19th century and particularly under the
Ottoman rule, the archaeological treasures of Cyprus, were traded

systematically by various dealers who acted under the cover of various

professions (diplomats, bankers) with the sole aim of collecting antiquities

and selling them abroad. The collections were systematically enriched by five
generations of the family. The archaeological collection is housed in the old

residence of the Pierides family, a colonial style building, built in 1825. The

visitor can travel through the ages covering 10000 years of the island's history.
beginning from the Neolithic times through the Bronze Age, Geometric,

Archaic, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine - Medieval ages. There is also an

important cartography collection of old maps and charts of Cyprus and the
Eastern Mediterranean as well as the prized collection of Greek and Roman

glassware. Currently the museum is managed by Mr. Peter Ashdjian, an 8th

generation Pierides. 68