Fragment of the left arm that belongs to a statue of Athena smaller than life size holding a shield. It was found on the Acropolis in 1833.
The inside of the shield decorate painted palmettes and volutes that frame the shield handle of the ochanon through which the goddess has her arm. On the exterior of the shield preserved is a relief gorgoneion, the head of Medusa. The mythical beast’s big eyes, its wrinkled forehead as well as the wide-mouthed grimace with the pendent tongue and protruding tusks, emphasise the figure’s apotropaic character. The hair, mouth and canine teeth are coloured whereas the wrinkles on the forehead are incised. Slithering snakes once painted yellow and black hem in the hair whereas round earrings adorn the figure’s ears.
It has been suggested that this fragment together with the head of Athena Ακρ. 661 and the torso Ακρ. 159 belong to the same statue.
Μυλωνάς, Κ.Δ., «Ευρήματα της εν τη Ακροπόλει Ανασκαφής», Αρχαιολογική Εφημερίς 1883, σελ. 41, αρ. κατ. 13 Langlotz, E., Schuchhardt, W., Schrader, H., Die archaischen Marmorbildwerke der Akropolis, Frankfurt am Main, 1939, σελ. 335, εικ. 393-394, αρ. κατ. 457 Μπρούσκαρη, Μ., Μουσείον Ακροπόλεως. Περιγραφικός κατάλογος, Αθήνα, 1974, σελ. 101, εικ. 184 Payne, H., Young, G.R., Αρχαϊκή μαρμάρινη πλαστική από την Ακρόπολη. Φωτογραφικός Κατάλογος, Αθήνα, 1997, σελ. 72