Relief in the form of a small temple and portico
Inventory number
ΕΑΜ 1377
Category
Sculpture
Period
Classical Period
Date
Around 350 BC
Dimensions
Height: 0.65 m
Length: 0.95 m
Material
Marble from Penteli
Location
Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes
It was found in many fragments at the Sanctuary of Asklepios and was reassembled and restored. It is in the form of a three-dimensional temple that adjoins the facade of a long stoa, in other words it depicts the two main buildings that are related to the worship of the god Asklepios.
Depicted on the relief are Asklepios, his wife Epione and their daughter Hygeia as they welcome a group of worshippers. Asklepios appears leaning on his staff around which a snake is coiled. Beside the god is Hygeia resting her right hand on her father's shoulder, while in front of them Epione is seated on a chair, holding most likely a phiale. The goose beneath her seat must be related to Asklepios’ therapeutic capacity.
In front of the stoa is the procession of the worshippers. A small slave, with a pig intended for the sacrifice to the god leads the procession. He is followed by nine adults, two children and a servant girl carrying a box on her head – perhaps with the bedding for the patient's overnight stay in the sanctuary.
Relief representations also decorate the two narrow sides. On the left side is Hekate or Demeter who wears a polos on her head and holds flaming torches. On the right side is a herm adorned with the head of the god Dionysos. Maybe the subjects of these side scenes relate to the neighbouring sanctuaries of Demeter, Persephone and Hekate as well as that of Dionysos Eleuthereas which flanked the Sanctuary of Asklepios. However, they could also be references to the statues of Hekate Epipyrgidia and Hermes Propylaios which were located at the entrance of the Athenian Acropolis. In general, both Hekate and the herms were considered symbols related to roads, boundaries, crossroads and mystical powers.
Girard, P., «Cataloque descriptif des ex-voto à Esculape trouvés récemment sur la pente méridionale de l'Acropole», Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 1, 1877, σελ. 163, αρ.κατ. 33
Duhn, F. v., «Griechische Reliefs gefunden in den Ausgrabungen der archäologischen Gesellschaft am Südfuss der Akropolis vom April 1876 bis Juni 1877», Archäologische Zeitung 35, 1877, σελ. 155, αρ.κατ. 42
Σβορώνος, Ι., Το εν Αθήναις Εθνικόν Μουσείον, Αθήνα, 1903, σελ. 294-297, εικ. 48
Stais, V., Marbres et bronzes du Musée National, I, Αθήνα, 1910, σελ. 230-231, αρ.κατ. 1377
Rodenwaldt, G., Das Relief bei den Griechen Erste Auflage, Berlin, 1923, σελ. 75, εικ. 91
Hausmann, U., Kunst und Heiltum. Untersuchungen zu den griechischen Askepios reliefs, 1948, σελ. 94, 142, εικ. 12, αρ.κατ. Α 35
Καρούζου, Σ., Εθνικόν Αρχαιολογικόν Μουσείον. Συλλογή Γλυπτών: περιγραφικός κατάλογος, Αθήνα, 1967, σελ. 142
Mitropoulou, E., Attic Votive Reliefs of the Fourth Century BC (διδακτορική διατριβή), London, 1968, σελ. 456-460, εικ. πίν. LVIII, αρ.κατ. 270A-B
Neumann, G., Probleme des griechischen Weihreliefs, Tübingen, 1979, σελ. 51, εικ. 29
Ridgway, B. S., «Painterly and Pictorial in Greek Relief Sculpture», στο W. G. Moon (επιμ.), Ancient Greek Art and Iconography, Madison, 1983, σελ. 194-197, εικ. 13.4a-b
LIMC II, Asklepios, σελ. 881, εικ. 650, αρ.κατ. 201
Simon, E., «Hekate in Athen», Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts. Athenische Abteilung 100, 1985, σελ. 280, εικ. 53
LIMC III, Epione, σελ. 808, αρ.κατ. 3
Λεβέντη, Ι., Η εικονογραφία της Υγείας στα κλασικά χρόνια, Αθήνα, 1991, σελ. 549, εικ. 35, αρ.κατ. Α34
LIMC VI, Hekate, σελ. 993, αρ.κατ. 50
Boardman, J., Greek Sculpture. The Late Classical Period and Sculpture in Colonies and Overseas, London, 1995, σελ. 131, εικ. 147
Ridgway, B. S., Fourth-Century styles in Greek Sculpture, Madison/Wisconsin, 1997, σελ. 226, εικ. 50
Καλτσάς, Ν., Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο. Τα γλυπτά, Αθήνα, 2001, σελ. 215, εικ. 442, αρ.κατ. 442
Leventi, I., Hygieia in Classical Greek Art, Archaiognosia Supplementary Volume 2, Athens, 2003, σελ. 143, εικ. 27, αρ.κατ. Α 35
Κατσαούνου, Σ., Συμπληρωματικές μορφές στους αττικούς ναΐσκους της Κυβέλης (διδακτορική διατριβή), Ιωάννινα, 2012, σελ. 160, εικ. 121-122
Παντερμαλής, Δ., Ελευθεράτου, Σ., Βλασσοπούλου, Χ., Μουσείο Ακρόπολης. Οδηγός, Αθήνα, 2016, σελ. 66-67, εικ. 67
Sawtell, C., Non-Citizen Commemoration in Fifth and Fourth Century BC Attica (διδακτορική διατριβή), Sheffield, 2018, σελ. 287-288, αρ.κατ. VR 22
