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.
(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

The Sarcophagus from Sidon, the So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great

Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great The most recent examination of the traces of the coloring of the sarcophagus was carried out in February 2006. In the context of this study about 300 measurements of the pigments could be made with the help of spectral analysis. As a result 20 different pigments could be distinguished. All of them were applied pure and unmixed. The reconstructions show two parts of the scene of the battle against the Persians. Here we show the one to the left, Alexander the Great on horseback, on the whole reconstructed in colors. On the casts only those areas are colored whose pigments were found on the original.	Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Here can be seen one of the short sides of the sarcophagus. On the casts only those areas are colored whose pigments were found on the original.
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Another photo of one of the short sides of the sarcophagus.	Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Horse and rider staring us in the eyes
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Detail	Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Detail
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Detail	Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Detail
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Detail	Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Detail
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Detail	The So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great: Detail
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Snapshot of the video shown with details of the research work on the Sarcophagus.	Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Snapshot of the video shown with details of the research work on the Sarcophagus.
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Snapshot of the video shown with details of the research work on the Sarcophagus.	Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Snapshot of the video shown with details of the research work on the Sarcophagus.
Τhe So-Called Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Snapshot of the video shown with details of the research work on the Sarcophagus.

• 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