Varvakeion Athena

The Varvakeion Athena is a Roman-era statue of Athena Parthenos now part of the collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. It is generally considered to be the most faithful reproduction of the chryselephantine statue made by Phidias and his assistants, which once stood in the Parthenon.^[1] It is dated to 200–250 AD.^[2]

Description

The statue is 1.05 m (41 in) tall, approximately one twelfth the estimated height of the original.^[2] It is carved of pentelic marble and bears traces of red and yellow paint. Athena is dressed in a peplos belted with a zone in the form of two snakes; over this she wears the aegis, decorated with snakes and with the gorgoneion in the center.^[2] She wears an Attic helmet with the cheek guards upturned; it has three crests, the center sporting a sphinx and those on the sides a pegasus.^[1]^[2] Her left hand rests on the rim of a shield which also bears the gorgoneion; the shield rests against the oikouros ophis (guardian snake) identified with Erichthonios, the city's legendary founder.^[1] The outstretched right hand is supported by a column and holds a winged figure of Nike, the head of which is missing.^[3] This smaller image is likewise garbed in a peplos and is turned somewhat towards the main figure.^[3] The whole assemblage rests on a rectangular base.^[2]

Differences from the original

Certain differences between the original as described by Pausanias and Pliny may be noted. The original base was decorated with a frieze showing the birth of Pandora, whereas the copy is plain; Pausanias also describes a spear which the copy lacks. The shield lacks the amazonomachy on the front which Pliny describes.^[2] The presence of the column is cited by many in the argument over whether the original required a similar support, though many reconstructions omit it (e.g. that in the Nashville Parthenon).^[3]

Discovery

The statue is named for the locale of its discovery in 1880,^[3] in the ruins of a Roman house near the original site of the Varvakeion School.^[1]^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "The Varvakeion Athena (129)". National Archaeological Museum. Archived from the original on 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Kaltsas, Nikolaos (2002). Sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Athens: Kapon Editions. p. 104. ISBN 9780892366866. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Harrison, Evelyn B. (1996). "Pheidias". In Palagia, Olga; Pollitt, J. J. (eds.). Personal Styles in Greek Sculpture. Yale Classical Studies. Vol. XXX. Cambridge University Press. pp. 42–51. ISBN 9780521657389. Retrieved 2016-06-29.
^ Mikalson, Jon D.; et al. (2021). Ancient Greek Religion. John Wiley. ISBN 978-1-119-56562-8. The Varvakeion Athena […] was found in 1880 in the ruins of a Roman house near the Varvakeion Lyceum in central Athens.

[NAM-1] "The Varvakeion Athena (129)". National Archaeological Museum. Archived from the original on 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-06-07.

[Kaltsas-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Kaltsas, Nikolaos (2002). Sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Athens: Kapon Editions. p. 104. ISBN 9780892366866. Retrieved 2016-06-07.

[harrison-3] Harrison, Evelyn B. (1996). "Pheidias". In Palagia, Olga; Pollitt, J. J. (eds.). Personal Styles in Greek Sculpture. Yale Classical Studies. Vol. XXX. Cambridge University Press. pp. 42–51. ISBN 9780521657389. Retrieved 2016-06-29.

[4] Mikalson, Jon D.; et al. (2021). Ancient Greek Religion. John Wiley. ISBN 978-1-119-56562-8. The Varvakeion Athena […] was found in 1880 in the ruins of a Roman house near the Varvakeion Lyceum in central Athens.

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v t e Major exhibits at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens
Neolithic	Karditsa Thinker
Cycladic	Frying pan 1 Frying pan 2 Spool-shaped pyxis
Minoan	Akrotiri Boxer Fresco Wall Paintings of Thera
Mycenaean	Grave stelai of Mycenae Mask of Agamemnon Octopus amphora Nestor's Cup Theseus Ring Warrior Vase
Archaic	Apollo Omphalos Artemision Bronze Daidala Dedication of Nikandre Dipylon Amphora Dipylon inscription Grave stele 7901 Horses Amphora Kroisos Kouros Lemnos stele Merenda Kouros Phrasikleia Kore Pitsa panels Rider Amphora Sounion Kouros Stele of Aristion
Classical	Antikythera Ephebe Funerary naiskos of Aristonautes Funerary Stela of Demokleides Grave Stele of Hegeso Great Eleusinian Relief Mantineia Base Marathon Boy Myrtis Nike of Epidaurus Ninnion Tablet Xenokrateia Relief
Hellenistic	Antikythera mechanism Aristonoe Group of Aphrodite, Pan and Eros Heracles of Antikythera Jockey of Artemision Lycosoura Artemis Lycosoura Demeter Mithridates relief Nike of Megara Poseidon of Melos Themis of Rhamnous
Roman	Aphrodite of Syracuse Armed Aphrodite Atalante Hermes Bust of Antinous Diadumenos Hermes Criophorus Hermes of Aegium Lenormant Athena Varvakeion Athena

v t e Sculptures of Nike-Victoria
Greek	Athena Parthenos Nike Fixing her Sandal Nike of Callimachus Nike of Epidaurus Nike of Megara Nike of Paionios Nike of Paros Statue of Zeus at Olympia Winged Victory of Samothrace
Roman	Las Incantadas Varvakeion Athena Victoria Romana
Modern	Angel of Independence Berlin Victory Column Gëlle Fra Ivar Huitfeldt Column Nike Assists the Wounded Warrior Nike Crowns the Hero Nike Instructs the Boy in Heroic History Nike (Kougioumtzis) Nike of Marathon Victoria Alada (Madrid) Wellington Arch William Tecumseh Sherman Winged Victory (Lewis)