Tag: ancient greek
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A Bust of Persephone
Clay busts of Kore/Persephone, such as this one pictured from the archaeological museum in Aidone (Enna Province), have been found throughout Sicily, proving the significance of the goddess and her story. In the 5th century to the 3rd century B.C., for example, women devotees prayed to Kore for healthful fertility and protection during various stages…
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Our May 2016 Tour, Day 7: If Walls Could Talk
If walls could talk, the Duomo of Siracusa would have 2500 years of human history to tell. We know this because its walls are supported by Doric-style columns from an ancient Temple of Athena that was build in the 5th century BC (pictured on the left). During the in the 7th century, when the Byzantines…
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This Little Piggy Went to the Thesmophoria
Terracotta statuettes of Demeter holding a piglet have been found at archaeological sites throughout the landscapes of ancient Greater Greece. Such statuettes often indicate that at the site where they were found, there was once a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess of the earth, agriculture, and fertility. In archaeological museums throughout Sicily you will see…
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Happy Valentine’s Day with a Kiss
Happy Valentine’s Day! Terracotta statuette of a reclining couple from the first century AD, excavated in 1967 in the Akradina district of Siracusa (Museo Orsi, Siracusa)
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Bronze Champion
During antiquity, bronze was not a material that sculptors in Sicily used often, so when I come across a bronze statuette like this one of an athlete in Siracusa’s Museo Orsi, I take note. This statuette is from c. 460 B.C., and according to the information in the museum, it is called “The Youth (Ephebe)…
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A Crown and a Dove
Clay statuette of Persephone-Aphrodite; On the goddess’ chest is the winged god Eros, who is holding a dove and a crown. This piece is dated to be from 460 B.C.E. I photographed it in Siracusa’s Museo Orsi.
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Pack Your Toga
In May 2016, during our Experience Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller tour, we’ll see a performance of an ancient Greek play at the 5th-century-BC Teatro Greco in Siracusa. This photo is from last summer’s performance of The Suppliants by Aeschylus. It was breathtaking!
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Ancient Acoustics
From the top of Monte Barbaro, the seats of the amphitheater at Segesta face the sea and hills in the distance. The acoustics from the orchestra, where I’m standing, are outstanding, something I proved when I sang to everyone visiting the site with me that day!
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Selinunte Temple
The Doric-style Temple “E” at the ancient Greek site of Selinunte was completed between 490 and 480 BC. Recent research reveals that it was probably dedicated to the goddess Hera, the protectress of weddings, engaged couples, and pregnant women.