1. General Description

The Archaeological Collection of Distomo was established in 1994 by the Ephor of Antiquities Evangelos Pentazos. The building housing the collection, formerly the premises of the local elementary school, was erected in 1901 by the hegumen of the Hosios Loukas monastery, Ioasaph Kastrites (fig. 3). In 1987 the Municipality of Distomo ceded the building to the Ministry of Culture, for the purpose of assembling and housing finds unearthed during the excavations conducted in the area, and disseminating the history of ancient eastern Phocis. The exhibition extends over three rooms, and includes exhibits dating from the Bronze Age to the Early Byzantine period.

2. Entrance Hall

Funerary stelae of the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, originating in the wider region of Distomo (ancient Ambrŏssus) are exhibited in the entrance hall. These stelae are made up of local gray marble. The ancient city of Phokis situated in the area of modern Distomo is known through epigraphical testimonies as Ambry(s)sus, Ambrōssus or Amphrys(s)us. The Classical period stelae are simple pedimental stelae, with the name of the deceased person often inscribed on their upper part. Among them two inscriptions stand out: ΑΓΑΘΩ and ΕΠΙ [Τ]ΙΜΑΝΔΡΩ. Two stelae featuring elaborate crowning decorated with anthemia were products of a local Boeotian workshop and date to the Hellenistic period (3rd cent. BC). One of these preserves the inscription ΕΠΙ ΔΥΝΑΤΩΙ. A funerary stele depicting a horseman dates to the Roman period. A piece of a ceiling mural from an old, neoclassical building of the area (residence of Demos Kellermenos) is also exhibited in the entrance hall of the collection.

3. Room A

Display case 1 contains finds from excavations in the ancient necropolis of Anticyra. The burial gifts date from the Late Geometric (900-800 BC) to the Early Christian period. Apart from clay and glass vessels, figurines and jewellery, a clay larnax is also on display, unearthed at Aghios Isidoros.

Display cases 2 and 3 contain finds from important rescue excavations carried out at ancient Ambrossus. These are finds from ancient cemeteries, situated west and south of the city, as well as from the remains of the ancient city's buildings (residences, baths and workshops).

The reconstruction of a hearth takes up the left side of the room; it features part of a clay pipe, an adobe from a kitchen (optanion), part of an iron spit and a dish with animal bones. These finds were unearthed in a 3rd cent. AD building (excavation at the Papanikolaou residence).

4. Room B

The acropolis of Medeon at Phokis was built on the north-western slope of the hill of Aghios Theodoros. Excavations (conducted in 1907 and in the 1960s), brought to light occupation remains dating from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period. Finds from the excavations in the acropolis of Medeon and the surrounding area are exhibited in display cases 4, 5, and 6.

Display case 7 contains burial gifts from Classical and Hellenistic period graves, from the area of Karakolithos and Zemeno. Fortifications have survived on the hilltops of both areas.

The centre of the room is taken up by the reconstruction of a jar burial dating to the 4th cent. BC (Warrior’s jar); it was discovered during a rescue excavation at the site ‘Elaionas’ at Anticyra. The cemetery at the site ‘Palatia’ of Anticyra yielded a terracotta sima bearing floral decoration and a lion head spout (4th cent. BC); this find is exhibited at the far end of the room.