Object Description
Small matchbox with purple sides. The top has a light blue background and features a large white and gold phoenix with outstretched wings rising skyward from of an island of bright orange flames. Above the phoenix, it reads "Hellas" in Greek with black letters. In front of the phoenix and in the center of the matchbox, is the black silhouette of a soldier in full uniform carrying a rifle with bayonet on his shoulder. Beneath the soldier, there is a blue banner which says "21 April" also in Greek with white letters. There is a torn piece of paper on the back with Greek writing on it.
Origin
This matchbox was from the junta occupation, which lasted from 1967 to 1974. It was a dictatorship that ended with the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The oppression led to an absence of civil rights and an aura of fear among many of the population. The Junta Occupation started with a coup that happened on the 21 of April in 1967.
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Citation
Matchbox, 1967 – 1974, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/11209. Accessed 04/24/24.