Next to it, in a modern building, are the offices of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Evia. 

The area that hosts the Museum (Agios Stefanos district) is located near the port of Chalkida of the Classical - Roman times, and in the wider area ancient public buildings, industrial and port facilities have been identified. 

The old Arethousa factory was restored in 1902 on behalf of the company of the Zachos brothers and the family of Davourtzikas. It operated mainly as a distillery, but also as a factory for ice production. The factory was located outside at the industrial suburb of Chalkida, in order to be adjacent to the sea and the plain of Leland where the raw material was produced: raisins.

In the new permanent exhibition, objects from all over Evia (Euboia) Island and Skyros Island from the Palaeolithic period until the beginning of the 20th century are presented, commenting on selected aspects of the history of the two islands through a dynamic social interpretation of important issues over time. 

In this context, issues of political organization, economy, cultural identities and worship are developed. Prominent aspects in the history of Evia are presented, such as: the role of Skyros in trade and metallurgy in the prehistoric Aegean, the prosperity of the settlement at Lefkandi in the 10th century BC, the presence of the Euboeans in colonization and the spread of the Euboean alphabet in the West, the connection of the Homeric epic and ancient drama with the sanctuary of Artemis in Avlida, the famous Negroponte, a powerful centre of the Venetians, the prosperity of Egriboz in the Ottoman era and the industrial development of the early 20th century.

 

The project of converting the building into a timeless museum and organizing the permanent exhibition was included in the NSRF and the work was completed in 2020.

 The Introductory section presents two Euboean travel destinations, known since antiquity, Evripos in Chalkida with its unique tidal phenomenon and the thermal baths in Edipsos. The whirlpools and the rush of the waters in Euripus are linked to the depiction of spirals in vases of the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC and the statue of Poseidon that was lifted from the bottom of the strait.

 

The ancient spa town of Edipsos is approached through statues and tombstones. 

In the same section, the visitor gets an overall picture of the archaeological sites and monuments of Evia with the assistance of an interactive digital tour application. This is followed by a brief reference to the history of Euboea by chronological period with a central focus on human presence and action, which is reinforced by artefacts depicting the human form from Prehistory to the Ottoman era.

In the section Political Organization, aspects of the political organization are presented, as it is formed already from the 3rd millennium BC, the historical times, the feudal states up to the Ottoman era. Euboean Bronze Age sites with spatial organisation, the emergence of cities and city-states, the mints of Evia and Skyros and the emergence of new social groups stand out. The rich grave goods from the Heroon of Toumba at Lefkandi testify to the prosperity of Euboea and the developed
trade contacts with the eastern Mediterranean in the 10th century BC. The political landscape of antiquity changed after the Hellenistic period with the dominant figure of the monarch, who concentrated all powers.

King in the Hellenistic era, Emperor in the Roman era, Emperor by God's grace in the Byzantine era and Sultan in the Ottoman era. The strong presence of Venetians on the island is reflected in the coins and sculptures of the Latin period.

The exhibition continues on the mezzanine floor with the Colonization-Alphabet section, where the visitor learns about the colonization of the Euboeans to the Mediterranean, the creation of colonies and the transfer of the Euboean alphabet to the West, which formed the basis of the Latin alphabet. Also, during the Hellenistic era colonists from Chalcis, founded Chalcis in Syria, by order of Seleucus I, from which colonists founded another Chalcis in the valley of Lebanon, as well as another Chalcis in Arabia. 

 

On the mezzanine floor, a separate section also highlights the history of the building, from its construction as a factory to its renovation and operation as a museum.

 On the first floor of the building, the exhibition is dedicated to the Economy and includes objects related to the primary sector of the economy (agriculture, livestock, fishing, etc.) and the Leland field, an area rich in raw materials, mainly clay, but also a field of conflict between Chalkida and Eretria. The raw materials processing sector is shown, with the important quarrying complexes of Evia, where the Karystia stone was mined. Raw materials and metalworking objects from prehistoric to Roman times are also on display. Particular emphasis is placed on the Palamari of Skyros, an important station in the history of copper handling and processing during the 3rd millennium BC. At the same time, maritime trade from Classical to Ottoman times is presented with relevant exhibits of commercial activity. The strategic position of the Venetian Negroponte, later the Ottoman Egriboz, is particularly highlighted.

The Cultural Identities section develops the concept of cultural networks of communication and interaction and includes exhibits grouped into three major periods (Prehistory, Antiquity, Byzantine Empire-Latin Empire-Ottoman Empire) and three geographical regions (Aegean, Mediterranean, Europe). 

There are Cycladic figurines, Euboean and Attic vases, a Byzantine-era lintel, a Western-style statue of the Virgin Mary from the church of Agia Paraskevi and Ottoman tobacco pipes. Multimedia applications link the cultural identities of the past with those of the present. Of particular note is the cloth covering the burnt bones of the man from the Heroon in Lefkandi. It was transferred from the National Archaeological Museum and is on display for the first time in Evia 40 years after its discovery.

The last section of the exhibition includes exhibits on worship in Evia from prehistoric times to the prevalence of Christianity. 

On display are figurines and ritual vessels from prehistoric Euboean sites. Aspects of historical times highlight exhibits relating to deities of the Greek pantheon whose worship was widespread in Evia. Also on display are findings from Avlida, from the Mycenaean cemetery at Mikro Vathi and the sanctuary of Artemis of Avlida. Then the introduction of eastern deities in Euboea, such as Isis, Cybele and Serapis, and the phenomenon of deification of mortals and heroes are presented. The section concludes with the consolidation of Christianity.

 

 

 

 

Through a detailed guided tour by our experienced partners, you learn about the history of our Winery since 1834,

the production process of our wines and the winemaking process.

 WINE TASTING

Choose within a variety of tastings that combine the terroir of our Wineries in Evia & Santorini.

Enjoy your favorite wine by the glass - combine it with a variety of cheeses or cold cuts 

and relax at the cozy courtyard of the Winery, in front of the Sauvignon Blanc vineyard, planted in 1990.

 

Complete your visit to the Oenotherapy Boutique with the most relaxing experience offered our beauty expert.

A grapetherapy ritual with the Lenga Oenotherapy skincare out of our vineyards that we created back in 2009.

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www.lengagrapespa.com 

 Experience Wine Tourism with us in an environment that honors authentic Greek hospitality, with services of high quality,

worldwide awarded wines and innovative cosmetics that combine Wellness & Wine.