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Indiana Jones and the Search for the Souvenir continued this morning. My tour bus brought the group to workshop that creates museum replicas. Here’s what I walked in to:
Overwhelming, I know. Absolutely no one thought it was funny when I said, “I’ll take the black and red one.”
My wife likes the pottery I've shown her, but she's open to other options. Maybe, I thought, I should try another material. What woman could resist this terra cotta figurine from 700 BCE?
Just as I was ready to make the purchase, I could hear my daughter's advice in my head. She’s the go-to girl when it comes to gifts. She would probably guide me away from big-hipped bell people and toward something I hadn’t yet considered: jewelry. Of course, I couldn’t choose just anything. It needed to have an archaeological connection. Maybe my wife would like a bracelet taken from the burials in Grave Circle A? The meaning could be: “Our love will last forever (or until Schliemann digs us up).” Yeah, I know. Too sentimental.
Then, an idea struck me. How about a meandros?
A meandros is a common motif in Greek art, like in the Geometric pieces above. Many use it today as symbol for life or love: it goes in many directions, yet is always moving forward. Maybe I could find something like that? Then, I saw it.
It was beautiful, but how could I be sure she'd like it? If only I could have a sign from the gods.
Gods or no gods, approval must come from my wife. I'll keep posting new ideas until the final decision is made.
I did find something for myself. Could a trireme be in my future?
Unlike the Romans, the Greeks were hesitant to unite as an empire. They fiercely defended their independence with hundreds of city-states throughout the Mediterranean. Each had their own laws and customs. This often resulted in conflict, like the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta.
If each was unique, what made everyone “Greek?” First, they spoke the same language clearly showing who was “in” and who was not. Second, there was a connection to a shared past. Many city-states claimed to be descended from a common Bronze Age ancestor like Herakles or the heroes of the Trojan War. Finally, they were united through religion. They believed in the Twelve Olympians including Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Demeter, Hermes, and Dionysus. Each had special places designated for their devotion. Zeus was the king of the gods. His main sanctuary was Olympia.
The Greeks believed the best way to honor Zeus was via agon, the Greek term for contest/conflict/struggle (consider our word “agony”). The fastest, strongest, and cleverest demonstrated the highest level of achievement. It was as close to humans could get to the divine. The Olympic Games represented this idea. They were so important, there was a region-wide truce from battle whenever they occurred. Every four years, thousands of people traveled hundreds of miles to participate as athletes, organizers, and spectators. It all began at this spot in 776 BCE. The tradition continues into modern times.
Greek art often depicts these contests.
If you're wondering where they put the "Nike" logo on their jersey, they didn't. Many contests were in the nude. The goal was to show the perfection of the body.
Let's just be happy the tradition didn't continue with sumo wrestling.
Here's what Olympia looked like.
It had all the structures needed to host the games. It included a gymnasium for training, a palaestra for wrestling, a hippodrome for chariot racing, a stadium for the distance events, and a prytaneion to bestow awards to the winners.
You will find Zeus' temple in the middle (number 15). It was constructed a few years before the Parthenon with all the same grandeur. It contained a 40-foot statue of our main man.
It wasn't just your run-of-the mill 40-foot statue. It was made with the most expensive materials available: ivory and gold. It was created by Phidias, the Michelangelo of his time. He's also responsible for the Parthenon marbles including the staggering Athena Parthenos inside. It was such a site to behold, it was named one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Sadly, the statue was removed sometime after 393 CE when the games were banned. Then an earthquake toppled the temple itself. Eventually, the whole site became buried under 20+ feet of sand and dirt due to flooding of nearby rivers.
The story would end here if it wasn't for archaeology.
The site was rediscovered in 1766, then systematically excavated in the 1800s. Luckily, the earthquake and debris didn't destroy everything. Archaeologists were able to recover important exterior elements. The eastern pediment of Zeus' temple depicts exactly what you would expect: the mythological chariot race at the foundation of the Olympics.
Next, I headed toward a crumbling, nondescript building. I knew what was there, the story it told about the site, and what it shared about one individual. Remember Phidias? He was one who created the great works of art. In the 1950s, archaeologists became curious about this unexcavated building. Their measurements showed it had proportions nearly identical to the inner chamber of the Temple of Zeus. (If you noticed the crosses, it was used as a Byzantine church at a later time.)
They removed layers of alluvial soil and found Phidias' workshop hiding beneath. It was where he created the most famous statue in the ancient world. They found tools for working with precious materials, ivory chippings, and terracotta molds from the statue's robe. One discovery stood out from the others. It was a cup with this inscription: "ΦΕΙΔΙΟΥ ΕΙΜΙ" (I belong to Phidias).
Sometimes, it's a simplest things that create the firmest handshake with history.
One more quick story. It’s hot here. Really hot. My American palate makes me crave something cold and sweet. Back at home, the kids and I often choose to pick up either an Icee or a Slush Puppy. Here, I get the best of both. Sure, it's about $5 per cup and it's often labeled incorrectly, but I'm now addicted to the Ice Puppy.
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