Magic sphere

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Provision of image

Inventory number

ΕΜ 2260

Category

Ritualistic object

Period

Roman Period

Date

2nd-3rd cent. AD

Dimensions

Diameter: 0.29 m

Material

Marble

Location

First Floor, North

Description
Bibliography

It was found in 1866 in the Theatre of Dionysos. Its surface is fully covered with relief scenes, inscriptions and symbols. On one side Helios is depicted as "Kosmokrator", the all-powerful Ruler of the Universe. He is sitting on a throne beneath an arch and holds a whip and three blazing torches. The dogs at his feet most possibly symbolise the sky's bright "dog stars": Sirius and Prokyon. The remainder of the sphere is filled with astral, magical, alchemical and geometrical symbols, allegorical animal scenes, numbers and incomprehensible inscriptions, perhaps invocations to Helios. Only one word, carved inside one of five intersecting circles, is clearly read: ΑΙΘΗΡ, which is the first of nature's five elements (ether, earth, water, fire and air).

The sphere is considered to be a magical object which relates to the worship of Helios. As it was found in the Theatre of Dionysos it may be connected with some form of magical rite that would secure the victory of the sphere's owner in an athletic or a theatrical contest.

Delatte, A.L., «Sphère magique du Musée d’Athènes», Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 37, 1913, σελ. 247-278, εικ. 2-3
Inscriptiones Graecae II2 , αρ.κατ. 2787
Ματθαίου, Α., Μαλούχου, Γ., Συνοπτικός κατάλογος των επιγραφών της Ακροπόλεως, Αθήνα, 2012, σελ. 24
Παντερμαλής, Δ., Ελευθεράτου, Σ., Βλασσοπούλου, Χ., Μουσείο Ακρόπολης. Οδηγός, Αθήνα, 2016, σελ. 73, εικ. 73
Palagia, O., «The Reliefs on the “Magic Globe” from the Theatre of Dionysos in Athens», στο Δ. Δαμάσκος, Π. Καραναστάση, Θ. Στεφανίδου-Τιβερίου (επιμ.), Πλαστική στη ρωμαϊκή Ελλάδα: νέα ευρήματα και νέες έρευνες. Διεθνές Αρχαιολογικό Συνέδριο. Αθήνα, 12 - 14 Δεκeμβρίου 2019, Θεσσαλονίκη, 2022, σελ. 97-103, εικ. 1-7
Reichenberger A., Zu Erscheinungsformen und zur Nachweisbarkeit magischer Praktiken am archäologischen Material – ein Überblick anhand ausgewählter Beispiele, Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt - Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte 2024, Halle (Saale); Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte, σελ. 87-88, εικ. 41