Since 1977, when the Historical Archive of Antiquities and Restorations was founded, to this day, it bore the following names:
• Department of Archive of Monuments (Ministry of Culture and Science / Directorate-General of Antiquities and Restorations / Directorate of Monuments and Publications Archives, Presidential Decree 941/1977)
• Department of Archive of Antiquities Services (Ministry of Culture / Directorate-General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage / Directorate of National Archive of Monuments / Department of Archive of Antiquities Services, Presidential Decree 191/2003)
• Department of Management of the Historical Archive of Antiquities and Restorations (Ministry of Culture and Sports / Directorate-General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage / Directorate for the Management of the National Archive of Monuments, Documentation and Protection of Cultural Goods / Department of Management of the Historical Archive of Antiquities and Restorations, Presidential Decree 104/2014, Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 171)
• Department of Management of the Historical Archive of Antiquities and Restorations (Ministry of Culture and Sports / Directorate-General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage / Directorate for the Management of the National Archive of Monuments / Department of Management of the Historical Archive of Antiquities and Restorations, Presidential Decree 4/2018)
In accordance with Presidential Decree 4/2018 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 7), the remit of the Department of Management of the Historical Archive of Antiquities and Restorations of the Directorate of Management of the National Archive of Monuments included keeping the Archive of Antiquities Services and Restoration Services from the time of their establishment to date.
This Archive was initially kept at the Byzantine and Christian Museum, in the annexes of which the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Restorations was seated since 1964. In 1967, the Service was relocated to 14, Aristeidou Street and the archival material of past years (Historical Archive) was transferred to the premises of the National Archaeological Museum. In 1994, the Ministry of Culture was permanently housed at the building located at 20-22, Bouboulinas Street.
The archival material kept both at the National Archaeological Museum and at 14, Aristeidou Street, began to be gradually collected from 1997 onwards at the building of the Archive of Monuments and Publications located at 11, Agion Asomaton Street. The arduous task of its relocation was carried out by archaeologist Christina Merkouri at the initiative of then Head of the Directorate of Monuments and Publications Archives, Mr Pantos Pantos, the founder of the National Archive of Monuments. Since 2008, the historical archive of the Central Archaeological Service has been housed at a specially designed building located at 22, Psaromiligkou Street.
The creation of the Historical Archive by the Archaeological Service:
The Secretariat “on Religious Affairs and Public Education” was established pursuant to the Decree of 3/15 April 1833. The General Ephorate of Antiquities, founded by Law of the Regency (10/22 May 1834) was incorporated into the Secretariat. Pursuant to the Constitution of 1844, the Secretaries of Greece were renamed Ministers.
The name Ministry of Religious Affairs and Public Education was established in law pursuant to Law 33 of 3/7 June 1846. This was the first time the law provided for the internal division of the Ministry and the creation of a special department for antiquities and museums, which was named Archaeological Department (B). Initially, under the rule of King Otto, Greece was divided into 3 archaeological regions (Attica and Central Greece, Peloponnese, and Islands), while in 1886 there were 11 archaeological regions (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 15). In the early 20th century, there were 7 archaeological regions in 1910 (Law 3730, Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 178), while in 1915 the territory was re-divided into 12 archaeological regions (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 80).
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Public Education was renamed in 1926 into the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Education (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 140). Antiquities and their management remained the responsibility of the independent (Archaeological) Department B. In 1937 the Ministry was renamed into the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Education (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 267). The Directorate-General of Antiquities, Letters and Fine Arts was created, to which Directorate of Antiquities and Historical Monuments was subordinate. The latter consisted of two sections: Department A - Antiquities and Historical Monuments, and Department B - Restoration of Ancient Monuments. Pursuant to Emergency Law 1158/1938 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 121), the Department of Restoration of Ancient Monuments was upgraded to an independent Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient and Historical Monuments. Pursuant to Emergency Law 1491/1941 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 455), the Directorate-General of Antiquities, Letters and Fine Arts was abolished. The Restoration Service was included in the existing Directorate of Antiquities and Historical Monuments. Pursuant to Legislative Decree 1521/1942 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 182), the remit of the Directorate of Antiquities and Historical Monuments was expanded to include Department (A) Administrative Affairs, Expropriations and Archaeological Resources and Department (B) Personnel, Processing and Archives.
Pursuant to Presidential Decree 634/1960 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 143), the Antiquities and Restoration Service was made subordinate to the Ministry of the Presidency of the Government. The Service consisted of: (A) the Directorate of Antiquities (Department of Archaeological Sites and Excavations, Department of Museums, Department of Expropriations); (B) the Directorate of Restoration (Department of Studies, Department of Execution); and (C) the Department of Administrative Affairs. In 1966, the Service was renamed into the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Restoration (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 184) and consisted of the following three Directorates: (1) Directorate of Antiquities (Department A Archaeological sites and Persecution of Antiquities Smuggling; Department B Museums and Private Collections; Department C Expropriations; and Department D Artistic, Technical and Educational Organisation); (2) Directorate of Restoration (Department A Studies and Monuments Works; Department B Studies and Museums works); (3) Directorate of Foreign Schools, Higher Institutions and Cultural Relations (Department A Coordination; Department B Publications and Intellectual Activities). Preservation of the archive was assigned to the Secretariat Department.
Pursuant to Legislative Decree 957/1971 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 166), the Ministry of Culture and Science was founded. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 941/1977 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 320), the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Restoration acquired the structure which, with slight variations, it retains to this day. It consisted of: (a) the Restoration Service; (b) the Directorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities (DPCA); (c) the Directorate of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments (DBPM); (d) the Directorate of Monuments and Publications Archives (DMPA); (e) the Directorate of Antiquities Conservation; (f) the Department of Expropriations; and (g) the Secretariat of the Archaeological Council. The DPCA consisted of the Department of Archaeological Sites and Natural Landscapes (A1), the Department of Museums (A2) and the Department of Foreign Schools (A3). The DBPM had a similar structure (Departments B1, B2). The DMPA consisted of the Department of Archive of Monuments and the Department of Publications. The main responsibilities of the latter included keeping of the Archive of the Central Service (Directorate-General of Antiquities and Restoration).
Pursuant to Law 1558/1985 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 137), the Ministry was renamed into the Ministry of Culture. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 426 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 163/30-11-1990), both the Directorate of Antiquities and the Directorate of Restoration were upgraded into Directorates-General. The Directorate-General for Antiquities had the following structure: (A) Directorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities; (B) Directorate of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments; (C) Directorate of Monuments and Publications Archives; (D) Directorate of Conservation, Department of Expropriations and Secretariat of the Central Archaeological Council. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 191/2003 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 146), the Central Service was divided into four Directorates-General. The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage oversaw seven Directorates and two Departments. The Directorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities (DPCA) consisted of the Department of Archaeological Sites, Monuments and Archaeognostic Research (A1), the Department of Greek and Foreign Scientific Institutions, Organisations and International Affairs (A2), and the Department of Secretarial and Financial Support (A3). Similarly, the Directorate of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Antiquities (DBPA) consisted of Departments B1, B2 and B3. The DMPA was renamed into the Directorate of the National Archive of Monuments (DNAM).
Pursuant to Presidential Decree 186/2009 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 213/7-10-2009), the Ministry of Culture was merged with the Ministry of Tourism Development. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 85/2012 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 141/21-6-2012), the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Culture and Sports was established. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 118/2013 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 152/25-6-2013), the Ministry was renamed into the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 24(Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 20/27-1-2015), the Ministry was renamed once again into the Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 70/2015 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 114/22-9-2015), the Ministry of Culture and Sports was re-established. Pursuant to Presidential Decree 77/2023 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue 130/27-6-2023), the Ministry was renamed into the Ministry of Culture.
