Inventory number
Ακρ. 1239
Artist
Attic workshop
Category
Architectural sculpture
Period
Classical Period
Date
409-406 BC
Dimensions
Height: 0.37 m
Length: 0.21 m
Width: 0.1 m
Material
Marble from Paros
Location
First Floor, West
Fragment from the Erechtheion's cella frieze which shows a female figure. The woman seems to be standing up from her throne and wears a chiton and himation that falls on her side creating rich folds. The throne armrest ends in a lion head supported by a Sphinx which decorates the upper part of the throne leg.
Human figures featured on the Erechtheion frieze have been variously interpreted. Some scholars consider them to be mere spectators watching mythological scenes albeit some others suggest that they are heroes relating to the mythical past of Athens. This fragment’s figure according to one hypothesis depicts Athena standing amongst the Olympian gods.
The Erechtheion's frieze ran along the upper part of the walls of the cella, as well as the north porch. It was adorned with figures of gods, heroes and mortals with the figures depicted on the porch frieze rendered slightly larger in size than the rest. They all were worked on all sides except the back side, carved in white marble from the island of Paros and fastened with metal brackets onto background slabs of gray stone from Eleusis. The surviving frieze fragments are just a few, therefore, our understanding of the frieze's original theme, which possibly relates to the myths and cults associated with the Erechtheion and more specifically Erichthonios, is not possible. The inscription Ακρ. 6667 δ preserves the names of some of the artists who sculpted the figures as well as their wages.
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