April 01, 2005
April 1 Photos: Caleb
View of the Caryatid porch of the Erechtheion as one walks up the Acropolis.
Today was very cold and windy and the clouds moved quickly throughout the sky. The sun beautifully bursts through the clouds with its rays behind the Belvedere while a Greek flag blows proudly in the wind.
Professor Rutter points out the stylobate of the Old Athena Temple.
This interesting creature is the Hippalektryon which is part horse and part rooster. Horsemen may be considered another type of Archaic sculpture types in Attica in addition to korai, kouroi, and seated figures.
Athena looks down upon you as she would from the pediment of the gigantomachy of the Old Athena Temple.
It is nice to view a kore from the side instead of the usual frontal view in books. Notice the firm, lifted backside. This is made of Island marble circa 525 BCE.
The “Blonde Boy” was created in the severe style after 480 BCE. The yellow paint preserved on his head lends him his name.
These column drums were set up by the Athenians after the sack of Athens by the Persians to stand as a reminder of the evils of the Persians. This is the view from on top of the Acropolis.
This is a view of the same column drums from below the Acropolis.
This Ionic column base on the Erechtheion has a torus on a scotia on another torus. This is the typical Attic style. Please note the fluted top torus.
This column base, also from the Erechtheion, follows the typical Attic protocol, but has guilloche style on its top torus.
Professor Rutter lures the group up to a cave which contains a Mycenean well.
Nkosi struggles down from the cave while Ben and Peter look on amused.
The group takes a break between the Acropolis and the Agora to grab some gyros.
This boundary stone marked the sides of the Athenian Agora.
The Hephaisteion as viewed from the Agora.
The view of the frieze from the back entrance of the Hephaisteion as an ancient would have viewed it as he entered.
The Stoa of Attalos has been restored and now serves as a museum for the Agora as well as office and storage space for the American School in Athens.
Our little stoics walk around the interior of the Stoa of Attalos.
The group gets a chance to handle artifacts found in a well in the Agora that had been excavated by our lovely guide, David Scahill.