Tuesday,
July 2

Before dropping me off at the airport, my wife’s departing words were: “Please find a nice souvenir for me.” The request seemed deceptively simple. However, there’s a challenge. She’s very knowledgeable, hence very selective. She has loved art her whole life and earned a degree in interior design. A t-shirt with a cartoon Zeus proclaiming “it’s all Greek to me” wouldn't cut it. (By the way, did you know that phrase was popularized by Shakespeare?)

I decided that the gift should be a reflection of our marriage: a combination of both art and archaeology. As I visited shop after shop, I realized that my search could be educational and I should invite you to come along.

What can we learn from a souvenir? My first attempt was an example. I came upon the storefront of a local artist. Her window stopped me in my tracks because I immediately recognized her salute to the past. She was inspired by Cycladic art. It was a Neolithic culture that existed on the islands. Their sculpture was very unique. They focused on abstract form, rather than details. The style was “rediscovered” in the early 1900s and it greatly influenced the modern art movement including Picasso. This artist copied one of the most well-known pieces and added her own modern flair.

I texted the photo to my wife. She considered it, then wrote back. She liked the idea, but she's more of a classical girl. She's right, of course. Our home is decorated in the traditional style reminiscent of a French country home or Italian villa. While interesting, modern art isn't her favorite. So, I was on to attempt #2.  

I passed by many shops in my search. With a quick glance, I could see rows of plastic gods and plaster Parthenons. Those would not do. So, I left the touristy area behind and began to explore the back streets. What I found was simply amazing.

This store was dedicated to museum-quality reproductions. As I looked at each one, I could identify many from my exams at UC. 

There was one that stood out.

Several years ago, my wife obtained a classical sculpture for the foyer. It was a small bust of the goddess Artemis. The original was probably found at Hadrian’s villa near Rome and it is now located at the Louvre. 

Our copy is made of inexpensive plaster. The one in the store was life-sized and chisled from real Greek marble.

I texted her the photo. Maybe she would like an upgrade? She responded that she thought it was beautiful, but she was looking for something that wouldn't take up so much space. 

I asked, "would you consider pottery?" She responded positively, so we started a discussion about her preference of styles and time periods.

To provide examples to you, I figured the best place to begin would be the National Archaeological Museum.

Remember the broad periods of Greek history that we talked about a few days ago? This time, we'll address them again via pottery. I can already hear the collective groan. "Ugh! Pottery is so boring. Why do archaeologists always talk about it?" One answer is that pottery helps date stuff, just like Coca-Cola bottles of today. You can easily tell the difference between one from 1910 versus 2010. 

Greek pottery was even better than that. It told stories. But, I get ahead of myself.  

Let’s go back to around 3000 BCE, the Neolithic period. The pottery was exactly what you’d expect: relatively simple and utilitarian. People were mostly concerned about survival, not style.

Then the Minoans emerged on the island of Crete. They were a complex civilization with huge palaces (more on that later). Food was readily available, so they had the time to make significant advancements. The pottery was both useful and artistic. It was unique because it depicted images of their world, mostly of nature. 

The Mycenaeans came after. Their pottery was similar except for an important addition. It showed people, especially scenes of warfare. Can archaeology back that up? It sure can. The Minoan palaces had no defensive structures, making scholars hypothesize that they were a peaceful people, or perhaps they fought their battles far from home. The Mycenaeans, on the other hand, had huge fortification walls, helmets, spears, and signs of violence. In other words, the pottery told the story. For those keeping score, this is the time of the Trojan War.

After the Bronze Age collapse, Greece slowly got their stuff back together. It took a few hundred years for the Geometric period to get into full swing. This was characterized by, you guessed it, geometric designs that covered the pottery from the top to the bottom. The Dipylon Amphora is the best example. Along with artifacts and writing, images tell a lot about the cultural values of those who created it. This represents a funeral with mourning and reverence for the dead.

Next, there’s the Archaic period. During that time, the sophistication of the pieces were greatly increased with complex images and narratives. One style was called Black-figure. Again, the name tells it all. Here, we see many scenes of “Greekness” like the mythological stories we’re all familiar with.   

Then, something magical happened around 520 BCE that changed Greek pottery forever. The artists developed a new way of firing that reversed the images. The background is black while the figures remain in the red color of Athenian clay. Red-figure dominated the Classical period.

To make matters even more complex, there were many, many shapes that served various purposes.

I hope all that pottery didn’t distract you from the main point of the story. I still need to get a souvenir for my wife. So, I returned to the high-end shop for the second time. The owner recognized me and welcomed me back. As we talked, he grew more excited that I seemed to be familiar with his product. He no longer had to waste time telling me touristy stuff like the names of each god. I seemed to have passed some invisible threshold when he put a friendly Greek arm around my shoulder and began to gently slap my back like a fellow conspirator. He guided me to Minoan, Mycenaean, Geometric, Black and Red figure pieces. I took a photo then told him I would come back soon. Use your newfound knowledge to identify a few pieces below. More importantly, will my wife like one of these?

I had to tell you that long story to tell you this next one. Stay with me.

Today, I joined a tour around the city. One of our stops was the Acropolis. After we were done, a group member asked where to find a good souvenir. Our guide said that she knew of the best hidden place in the city. It’s a few blocks away. She asked if we like to go. Everyone agreed. I thought “Great! I can check out another place for my quest.” We started to walk in the direction of the store that I discovered the day before. As we passed shop after shop, I thought, “there’s no way it could be my store.” We walked through an alley, then a side street. Sure enough, both the tour guide and I had picked the same place in a city with hundreds of options. As I opened the door, the owner immediately stood up, enthusiastically shook my hand, and exclaimed: “Mr. John has returned! And, he brought his whole group!” 

So, I guess now I’m an Athenian tour guide.

Before I left, he put his arm around my shoulder again and quietly said, “See all these people? They are only customers. But you, Mr. John, you’re family now!”

I better buy something soon. Does anyone want a piece of Greek pottery?

One more story, then I’m really done. I promise.

Due to a taxi cab shortage, I had to walk back from the National Archaeological Museum. It’s about a mile and a half and I was determined to find dinner along the way. In America, I would pick a restaurant, place an order, then take it to go. In Greece, it's a different story. I found a small family cafe, walked in, and tried to be American. I failed. 

The owner only spoke Greek and I only spoke English. However, I quickly learned the meaning (repeatedly) of a common Greek phrase “siga, siga” (slowly, slowly). I tried to point to the food I thought I wanted. He dismissed me with the wave of his hand and prepared spaghetti and a Greek salad. I signaled that I would like to take it with me. Instead, he spread a tablecloth and placed my silverware. I guess I was going to stay.

He prepared the meal at his own pace and it came out perfectly. Two other gentlemen gathered around and we watched the football (soccer) game together. It only took me a few minutes to learn which team I was rooting for. So, I ate, I cheered, and I shouted “opa!” all slowly, very slowly.

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