The Acropolis Museum’s New Archaeological Journey Beneath Athens

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The Acropolis Museum’s New Archaeological Journey Beneath Athens

Sculptural masterpieces

The motley host of male citizens, women, children, foreign residents (metics) and slaves who once populated the Makriyiannis plot’s long-lived neighborhood comes vividly to mind through this myriad of personal possessions. Perhaps the most visually impressive displays are found at the end, however, when we enter the dramatically lit sculpture gallery. There, the spiritual life of the district’s residents is highlighted with finely carved stone statues and reliefs of Athena, Artemis, Asclepius, Hygeia, Aphrodite, and Eros, as well as of Cybele, the protector of cities, public life and social norms.

Selene (the moon) and Hekate (darkness, magic, and guardian of crossroads) were also revered, and there are bronze figurines of Apollo and Heracles, too. A unique, intricately detailed ivory figurine of Tyche (fortune) of the city of Athens, wears a mural crown, the symbol of cities, and may depict the chryselephantine cult statue in Tyche’s temple built by Herodes Atticus in the 2nd century AD, on Ardittos Hill beside the Panathenaic Stadium. With the embrace of Eastern deities and mystery cults during Hellenistic and especially Roman times, we are reminded of the increasingly international, multi-******* character of Athens. Serapis and Osiris become melded with Zeus and Dionysus, seen here also in ivory. Artemis of Ephesus and the Trinity of Palmyra (Baal, Iarhibol, Aglibol) also appear.

But most striking are the marble statues of Osiris-Dionysis Chronokrator, assimilated with Aion (symbolized by the coiled serpent) who represents eternal and cyclical time, and Zeus Heliopolitanus, the patron of Heliopolis in ancient Syria (Baalbek, Lebanon), **** of agricultural nature and fertility. Never before has this statue type been discovered in Greece. His tunic is decorated with the seven planets of the ancient cosmos – Kronos (Saturn); Zeus (Jupiter) and Hera (instead of Aphrodite/Venus); Helios (Sun); Selene (the moon); Ares (Mars); and Hermes (Mercury). With the sculpted portrait of a stern-faced lady (AD 421-430), the Excavation Museum offers us a glimpse of the Byzantine empress Eudokia, Theodosius II’s Athenian-born wife – thought to have founded the first ********** ******* in the city of Athens, established in the courtyard of Hadrian’s Library.

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