What is the Salamis Stone and what was its significance for our understanding of the building of the Parthenon?
NARRATOR: The Salamis Stone represents all the competing ancient Greek measurements: the Doric foot, the Ionic foot, and, for the first time, the Common foot—virtually the same measurement we use today. Wilson Jones finds evidence of all three measuring systems in the height of the Parthenon.
What was the original function of the Salamis stone?
What was the original function of the Salamis stone, which was found on a church wall (on the island of Salamis)? It was used as a conversion tool for the varying units of measurement in the ancient Mediterranean.
Why are there no straight lines in the Parthenon?
Why there are no straight lines in the Parthenon? In order for the temple to maintain a symmetrical and light appearance, straight lines weren’t the best. The Greeks resorted to the Entasis, which is a very light curve voluntarily made on the central part of the shafts of the columns.
What statue was held within the Parthenon?
statue of Athena Parthenos
Athens, 438–432 BC. Pheidias was the most famous sculptor of all antiquity. He is best known as the artistic director of the Athenian building programme, including the Parthenon sculptures and the colossal gold and ivory statue of Athena Parthenos that stood inside the Parthenon.
What is the message of the Parthenon?
The first view emphasizes the Athenians’ reverence for Athena, while the second appears to promote the idea of total sacrifice by the city-state’s citizens for the sake of Athens’ survival and continued good fortune.
What was Themistocles decree?
Themistocles won, and a decree was passed—dated by Herodotus to a time before the Battle of Artemisium—stipulating that the Athenians would en- gage the barbarian by sea with all their forces.
Why do Greek columns bulge in the middle?
Greek designers were very careful when they measured these columns. They knew that columns standing in a long row often looked as though they curved in the middle. To prevent this optical illusion, they made their columns bulge slightly in the middle. As a result, Greek columns look perfectly straight.
Why is the Parthenon curved?
The Roman architect Vitruvius argued that such refinements were made to counter the effects of an optical illusion: When viewed from a distance, a perfectly straight line would appear to sag, whereas the temple’s curvature would counteract that illusion.
Who is in Athena’s hand?
Nike
The statue represented Athena standing majestic, fully armed and holding a 4 cubit tall statue of Nike in her right hand. Athena wore a peplos which was tucked into a belt.