The Parthenon in Color: Shades of the Amazons

The polychromy of the Parthenon – the observe of adorning architectural and sculptural components in quite a lot of colours – is a widely known phenomenon. Certainly, within the nineteenth century, students who flocked to the traditional monument in Athens recognized traces of colours on its surfaces, which have been higher preserved on the time. Some, like French architect Alexis Packard (1813-1867), Laurits Winstrup (1815-1889), and Benoît-Édouard Loviot (1849-1921), left behind detailed descriptions and drawings of the temple’s textures and colours, which proceed to be vital sources of knowledge. Nonetheless, there are few issues that may be stated at the moment with any scientific certainty. The precise colours used on the Parthenon, their extent and hue, in addition to the origin of the pigments, stay an open debate, with students providing a variety of various opinions.

What colours have been used to color the metopes of the Parthenon 2,500 years in the past? Some argue that the background to the reduction sculptures was white, others lean in direction of blue, whereas most settle for crimson. The “band” on the high of every metope additionally raises questions, as does the bottom, to not point out the sculptural figures themselves. Nonetheless, current analysis by chemical engineer and head of the technical workplace of the Acropolis Monuments Conservation Service, Eleni Aggelakopoulou, who has been learning the polychromy of the monument since 2011, is shining new gentle on the topic.

Having already printed a scientific article within the Journal of Archaeology Science in 2022, together with Professor Asterios Bakolas of the Nationwide Technical College of Athens (NTUA), specializing in the western friezes of the temple, Dr. Aggelakopoulou introduced a few of her new findings in a lecture final Tuesday on the Herakleidon Museum in Athens. The lecture, “In Search of the Colours of the Parthenon,” showcased her current discoveries.

Aggelakopoulou centered on two western metopes, particularly these depicting the “Amazonomachy” (the legendary battle between the Greeks and the Amazons): metope 3 and metope 12. The analysis was difficult because the marble sculptures had been closely defaced by early Christians within the fifth and sixth centuries AD. Nonetheless, the chemical engineer, alongside together with her analysis staff, discovered that metope 3, depicting a mounted Amazon and a fallen Greek warrior, had a line of intense “reddish-brown” coloration across the horse’s tail. Samples of its pigment have been analyzed within the laboratory, together with samples from metope 12, depicting a shield-bearing Greek warrior attacking a retreating Amazon. On the bottom of metope 12 and at different factors, the colour crimson, this time with an orange hue, is so intense that it has piqued the curiosity different students. Aggelakopoulou has already submitted a scientific paper on the 2 metopes, which is presently below evaluate.

The ornamental border of metope 12 additionally intrigued the scientist: “Elsewhere we see that it’s blue, whereas some students present info that the crimson continues upwards as a result of, in some circumstances, the border has a meander (historical Greek ornamental motif),” she talked about in her lecture. Her analysis, which utilized VIL-imaging (Seen-induced Luminescence), revealed the well-known “Egyptian blue” on the border, “though it isn’t sure whether or not the complete floor was blue or if there was additionally painted ornament.” The analysis will present, as Aggelakopoulou advised us, whether or not crimson finally prevailed on the metopes, with blue on their borders.

Nonetheless, it’s now sure that crimson and blue have been used for coloring the meanders, designs of that are preserved in varied elements of the Parthenon. The scientist additionally discovered that, to create the meanders, an architectural canvas (a grid of squares that “organizes” the design) was used, and their coloration palette included a kind of blue for the primary motif (the sunshine blue of azurite) and one other kind (the “Egyptian blue,” which was extra “electrical”) for the checkerboard-like factors.

Intense blue has additionally been recognized by Aggelakopoulou on the West Frieze 4 (“the place it began,” as she talked about in her lecture), whereas the vary of colours she encountered elsewhere on the monument consists of the emerald inexperienced of malachite, the black of charcoal, the crimson of hematite, and so forth. Significantly vital was the affirmation of using beeswax as a binding materials for the colours with the marble, a recognized technique employed by historical craftsmen referred to as the “encaustic approach.” Aggelakopoulou’s analysis is progressively turning to the triglyphs, the metopes, and the cornice of the western aspect of the temple, to finally create an entire image of the colours of the frieze.

“The ‘holy grail’ of this analysis is establishing whether or not or not gold was used on the Parthenon,” Aggelakopoulou advised Kathimerini, explaining that earlier references point out gold leaf in sure elements of the monument. “Nothing has been discovered but, however, maybe sooner or later, there shall be some indication, which is one thing that I at all times preserve behind my thoughts,” she continued. Nonetheless, with or with out gold, her work shouldn’t be simple, not solely as a result of it requires “very detailed work on an enormous scale,” but additionally as a result of “this analysis has not been included into any restoration program, and is carried out along with our contractual obligations.” “Along with my collaborators, we research the polychromy of the Parthenon primarily in our free time,” she added.

Nonetheless, she stays fascinated. “I’m fascinated by the precision of the ancients,” Aggelakopoulou concludes. “They created these decorations, these jewels within the Parthenon, with large element and non secular reverence. You are feeling it if you end up shut by and observe them.”

This text was beforehand printed in Greek at kathimerini.gr.