Aphrodítē Ouranía

A smiling Persephone enthroned in the underworld (the so-called ‘goddess of Tarentum’),

Figurine with “ephedrismos” representation.

This figurine depicts one of the most popular games in ancient Greece, so-called “ephedrismos”, a playground game that is known to this day as “long donkey”, which is similar to ‘leap frog’. The game was played as follows: participants placed a rock at a specific distance, which they tried to hit with a spherical object or another rock. The player to hit the target was the winner. The loser was forced to carry him on his back all the way to where the rock had been placed. Throughout the walk, the loser had to have his hands behind his back and the winner covered the loser’s eyes with his hands so he would not be able to see.

320~270 B.C

Μarble sphinx

This marble sphinx was placed on a stele erected on the tomb of an eminent Corinthian or Athenian in the Northern Cemetery of Corinth. Sphinxes were daemonic beasts with the head of a woman, the wings of a bird, the body of a lion, and the tail of a snake; they embodied supernatural powers that would scare people of the Archaic period. For that reason, they were used as apotropaic and chthonic figures, connected to the powers of the Underworld. They were often placed on tombs in order to discourage would-be grave robbers. The apotropaic character of the specific monument has been further highlighted by the typical turning of the head towards the onlooker.

The gold diadem of Meda,

Greek gold earring

A Siren, part bird, and part woman playing a kithara.

Sleeping Ariadne (fragment)

Greek, Hellenistic period.

Triptolemus, the son of Keleus, king of Eleusis ready to go round the world to teach people the cultivation of cereals In front of him is standing Core (Persephone), the daughter of Demeter.

Dove earings

Before they ended up symbolizing the spiritual values in the Christian tradition, doves were the erotic birds par excellence, often accompanying Aphrodite herself. In this respect, it is not farfetched to assume that jewelry with doves were gifts of desire or marriage. Pair of gold earrings with pending doves of carnelian. From Apulia in Magna Grecia (modern day Puglia in Italy) 2nd C. BC. Athens, Benaki Museum

Etruscan statue of Apollo Inspired by a statue of Alexander the Great by Lysippos.

Statue of Apollo dated between 310-300 BC was found at the Scasato Temple in Falerii. It is made of terracotta and it was located in Villa Giulia, outside of Rome.

Skull of a girl with a wreath of fruits and myrtle ceramic flowers.

Hellenistic Period (4th~3rd cent. B.C).

Among the many possible thematic itineraries in the magnificent archaeological park of ancient Ostia, one of the most fascinating explores its mithraea, suggestive evidence of the mystery cult of the God Mithras that was particularly widespread in the Middle and Late Empire.

Eros Lamp Holder