Athena Nike Temple. Parapet. South-west corner slab. Nikai

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Provision of image

Inventory number

Ακρ. 975

Artist

The "A Master" or Agorakritos

Category

Architectural sculpture

Period

Classical Period

Date

Around 410 BC

Dimensions

Height: 1.05 m
Length: 1.28 m

Material

Marble from Penteli

Location

First Floor, West

Description
Bibliography

Corner slab from the parapet constructed around the Temple of Athena Nike decorated with relief scenes on both faces. It was placed on the parapet’s southwest corner, right above the short staircase that leads to the goddess’ sanctuary. The slab was found in three fragments in 1877 during the excavations conducted on the southwest slope of the Acropolis.

On one side a Nike walks slowly to the viewer’s left raising her right hand to an unidentified object that may be either an incense burner (thymiaterion) or a xoanon placed on a low base. The left part of the scene is extremely worn as in later times this slab fragment was used as a step or was built into a floor.

On the other side another Nike moves swiftly again to the viewer’s left with her right knee slightly bent as she forwards her foot. She is draped in a long peplos and over it a billowing himation. The slab is usually attributed to the so-called “A Master” whereas according to another suggestion it was made by Agorakritos, a pupil of Pheidias.

The parapet enclosed the three sides of the bastion, on which the temple was built. It consisted of slabs approximately one meter in height whose outer surfaces were decorated with relief scenes visible by those ascending the Acropolis. The holes preserved on the upper surface of these slabs indicate that there was originally a metal railing, which further raised the height of the parapet.

The theme depicted on the parapet is a celebration of the military victories of the Athenians against their enemies, either Persians or other Greeks. The narrative is not continuous; instead it is composed of separate, individual scenes which – with slight variations – recur on each side of the parapet: winged Nikai lead bulls to sacrifice or hold weapons and adorn victory trophies with Greek or Persian armour. Among them sits goddess Athena, resting after victorious battles. The carving of the temple's sculptures was carried out by many different artists under the supervision of Agorakritos. These sculpted figures are highly representative of the end of the 5th cent. BC style called by archaeologists the “Rich Style".

In 1687 the temple and the parapet of Athena Nike were dismantled by the Ottomans and the material was used for the reinforcement of a gun emplacement and the fortification of the west side of the Acropolis against the attacks by the Venetians under the command of the general Francesco Morosini. Between 1835 and 1836 the gun emplacement was demolished and the Temple of Athena Nike was restored for the first time under the supervision of Ludwig Ross, the administrator of antiquities at the time. A second reconstruction was carried out in 1940, while a third was completed in 2010.

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