A major exhibition with artefacts from the Mediterranean region will be held at the National Museum of Western Art (NMWA) in Tokyo, Japan. “The Golden Legend”, as is the title of the exhibition, was inspired by the legend that grew of the Black Sea region as concealing golden riches, after the legend of Jason who sailed through the dangerous straits to get the Golden Fleece.

147 ancient Greek artefacts from the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece, will travel to Japan to be exhibited among other Mediterranean treasures at the NMWA. There will also be items from the Vatican Museums, the National Etruscan Museum in Rome (Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia), the National Archaeological Museum in Florence (Firenze, Museo Archeologico Nazionale) and the National Institute of Archaeology with Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria.

All items will be made of gold, from the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean region, along with paintings on the theme of gold. Some of the works to be displayed are thousands of years old and the exhibition focuses on man’s fascination with gold through time.

The exhibition, starting on October 16, will also travel at the Miyagi Museum of Art in Sendai from January 22 to March 6 and the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art in Nagoya from April 1 to May 29.