National Archaeological Museum - Athens Day 3 - The Later Years

These pieces are from a more recent period.

 Monumental Attic grave amphora from the Kerameikos cemetery. The main scene in the top phot shows the prosthesis and mourning for the ded. Over the bier is the shroud. Men, women and a child lament with their hands on their heads. Work by the "Diplyon Painter", late geometric period 760 - 750 BC.

 Geometric pottery, an amphora and high rimmed bowls from a Dipylon grave, 730 - 720 BC.

 Large Cycladic krater from a Parian workshop, about 640 BC. On the body of the vase the return of Apollo to Delos from the land of the Hyperbereans. Standing in a chariot drawn by winged horses are Apollo and his kithara and two female figures, probably Hyperberean maidens. Apollo is welcomed by his sister Artemis who is holding a deer. On the neck two heroes, probably Achilles and Memnon are engaged in homeric conflict.

 Marble head of a kouros, about 540 BC. Found in the sanctuary of Ptoan Apollo in Boeotia.

 Statue of a Nike in Parian marble, about 550 BC. Found in Delos, the earliest known stone free-standing statue of a Nike, possibly the work of the sculptor Archermos from Chios.

Kore statuette from the Acropolis, about 490 BC. She wears a chiton, a himation and an overgarment that covers her back and sides. Her hair is adorned by a wreath and her ears by round disk earrings. Red paint still remains on her hair and eyes.

Part of a grave stele from about 460 BC. Found on Anaphe, made from Island marble. It comes from a large grave stele but only the dog survives. The greatest part of the stele was probably occupied by the figure of a man, of which only part of the right leg is preserved.

 Grave stele in Boeotian marble, about 430 BC. Found in Thespiai, Boeotia. The broad surface of the stele shows a rider on a galloping horse. The reins were made of a different material, probably metal and were fitted into the holes preserved on the horse's neck.

 Bronze statue of Zeus or Poseidon from about 460 BC. Found in the sea of Cape Artemision in northern Euboea. The God, shown in stride, extends his left arm before his body while holding a thunderbolt (Zeus) or trident (Poseidon) in his right hand. It is more likely he is Zeus. It is one of the few preserved statues of the Severe Style, notable for the exquisite rendering of motion and anatomy. Certainly the work of a great sculptor of the early Classical period.

 Torsos of a statue of the Minotaur from Pentelic marble. Found in Athens near St. Demetrios Katephoris in the Plaka with a statue of Theseus (not pictured) and they were erected at a fountain house. Roman copies of an early Classical statue group by Myron, which represented Theseus' fight with the Minotaur and was erected on the Acropolis.