National Archaeological Museum of Athens: Gods In Color

On January 29, 2007, a new Exhibition was opened to the public at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. After having made the rounds at a variety of Museums in Europe, “Gods in Color” has been on view in Athens until March 25th. However, thanks to our Album, visitors to our website will be enjoying it permanently! The 21 casts exhibited (in Ground floor Galleries 44 and 45) are of well-known statues (Cuirassed torso of the statue of an archer or chariot driver from the Acropolis Museum, Akr 599, the bronze head of a victor from Glyptothek München, the “Peplos Kore” from the Acropolis of Athens Museum, Akr. 679, the Lion of Loutraki, etc), of Tombstone Stelae (tombstone of Aristion, the one of Paramythion, etc), of Pediment sculptures (from the Athena Afaea Temple in Aegina, the East Frieze of the Siphnian Treasury in Delphi, parts of the so called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great) and specimens of real pigment used in antiquity. (Text and Photos: Michael Tziotis)

• Introduction
• Acknowledgements
• Coloring and Pigments
• Prehistoric Art
• Colored Casts of Statues
• Funerary Stelae (Tombstones)
• Temple of Aphaea at Aegina - Colored Reconstruction of the West Pediment
• Temple of Aphaea at Aegina - Colored Reconstruction of a Warrior's Head from the East Pediment
• The Sarcophagus from Sidon, the So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great
• The Frieze of the Siphnian Treasury
• Original Statues with Traces of Color
• Six Figurines
• Calyx Crater
• White Ground Lekythoi

Coloring and Pigments

Coloring and Pigments (General Photo of Window)	Egyptian Blue, Ochre and Cinnabar application on marble in different tempera-techniques First row: Egg-yoke Second row: Egg-yoke and Olive Oil Third row: Casein Fourth row: Casein and Egg-yoke Fifth row: Casein and Walnut Oil
Natural Pigments 1. Egyptian Blue 2. Hematite 3. Cinnabar 4. Madder roots 5. Azurite	Natural Pigments 6. Yellow Ochre 7. Bolos 8. Malachite
Natural Pigments 1. Egyptian Blue 2. Hematite	Natural Pigments 3. Cinnabar
Natural Pigments 4. Madder roots 5. Azurite	Natural Pigments 6. Yellow Ochre
Natural Pigments 7. Bolos	Natural Pigments 8. Malachite
Natural Pigments 8. Malachite	5124, 5302. Small marble bowls with traces and remnants of blue pigments. From Syros, cemetery of Chalandriani. Early Cycladic II (2800-2300 B.C.)
4774, 4778.3 Marble phiale with a lump of red pigment and a piece of obsidian core. Paros, cemetery of Panagia. Early Cycladic I (3200-2800 B.C.) Traces of red pigment in the phiale; those on the core indicate its use as a grinder.	11889. Shell with a lump and traces of blue pigment inside. Siphnos, cemetery at Akrotiraki. Early Cycladic II, later phase (2500-2000 B.C.)
16101. Shell filled with red pigment. A case for keeping pigments, most likely to have been used for make-up. From Sesklo or Dimini. Neolithic era.

• Introduction
• Acknowledgements
• Coloring and Pigments
• Prehistoric Art
• Colored Casts of Statues
• Funerary Stelae (Tombstones)
• Temple of Aphaea at Aegina - Colored Reconstruction of the West Pediment
• Temple of Aphaea at Aegina - Colored Reconstruction of a Warrior's Head from the East Pediment
• The Sarcophagus from Sidon, the So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great
• The Frieze of the Siphnian Treasury
• Original Statues with Traces of Color
• Six Figurines
• Calyx Crater
• White Ground Lekythoi