Melina in the Louvre

Melina Merkouri in the Louvre in Paris in 1962, photographed for Life magazine. 

She was photographed inteacting with the Milos Aphrodite and various busts. 

The Minoan Baked Figurine

My dear friend Ioanna V. at 9 years old is already an expert in Minoan coroplastic art experimenting in construction techniques. 

In this example she baked a replica of the well-known Neopalatial Minoan clay female figurine from the sanctuary at Piskokefalo Siteia (1600-1500 BC) showcased in the Herakleion Archaeological Museum. 


BEFORE BAKING

AFTER BAKING 

THE ORIGINAL 

Playing the Amphipolis Game

A recent visit to a local Greek toy store revealed this new treasure, inspired by the recent finds in Amphipolis. 

As it is, it seems that Amphipolis inspires many games. 

Monster problems

Monsters do have to face some serious challenges.  

*All drawings made by Teo Zirinis. Make sure to check out his site, Facebook page or Instagram account. 

The prince of lilies in the sea

It's been a while since I last posted a post on the blog, since of late we're mostly communicating through the Facebook page.

But this new find  is really worth some special treatment. 

Today I stumbled upon an image of the popular Greek singer George Mazonakis reproduced in one of the Sunday papers. The "news" here was that Mazonakis is a winter swimmer, and the paper presented the following photograph testifying this evidently important choice. 

Look more closely though and you will observe the tattoo on the singer's arm: a large and impressive colorful Minoan lily, much like the ones Gillieron pere added in his reproduction of the Minoan fresco of the Prince of Lilies. 

And that actually was worth more to me as a piece of news, than the fact that Mazonakis is a winter swimmer (in Greece of all places). 

IDISTI - Greece with a twist

This blog entry and wonderful discovery is written by my dear friend Mania Kostopoulou. 

Enjoy! 

IDISTI  - GREECE WITH A TWIST is a new Greek company which designs and produces everyday objects and gifts of unique design with a fresh look,inspired from Greek history, culture, nature, architecture, traditional costumes, myths and symbols of Greece from ancient to present times.

IDISTI recently won the 3rd award in the Innovative Service Model category on the Tourism Awards 2014.

Its collections are all beautiful.
It's obvious that I want them all.
But as the blog's theme is Consuming Greek Antiquity, I owe to present you the collection "Monuments of Athens". 

If only I had the body to fit in such a Warholic swim suit with the Caryatids. Even though some will find it kitsch, I love it.

Pay a visit on their site www.idisti.gr

Indulge your curiosity.
https://www.facebook.com/idisti.gr?ref=ts&fref=ts

Happy Easter CGA style

To all the readers of the blog and the followers of the Facebook page, many heartfelt wishes for a Happy Easter. 

A chocolate Easter egg crafted by the French Boulangerie-Patisserie P.P. Colas in 2011. [via]

A Sounion flower

Thanks to the courtesy of Nikos Mitrogiannopoulos and the Archive of Amateur Audiovisual Material "of the Anonymous" I have the great pleasure to present today a previously unknown photograph, actually a film frame from a 16 mm family film, belonging to the D. Georgopoulos family collection, resting at the Archive. 

This rare family film frame, dating in the 1930's, is taken in the temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion. 

At the center is Cybele, a well-known Greek actress (1888-1978), offering a flower to her husband George Papandreou (1888-1968), one of the most important Greek politicians of the 20th c., who was later to become Prime-Minister of Greece. 

To the right is their friend Aglaia Georgopoulou. The family film was probably shot by Dimitris Georgopoulos, her husband. 

Mr Mitrogiannopoulos who has watched the film tells us more about the action, esp. what precedes this final instance. This is a silent film (as these family films were back then), but it is obvious the the great actress is reciting something, while Papandreou and her friend Aglaia are watching. When this small 'show' is over, Cybele offers a flower to her husband, G. Papandreou. 

The two couples, the Papandreou and the Georgopouloi, were evidently close friends and used to travel together abroad and in Greece. 

An archaeologist designing jewellery

cuff bracelet, collection Mycenaean 

pendant, collection Meander

ring, collection Poseidon

brand bracelets, collection Dorian

ear rings, collection Speira

These are some of the jewellery designed by archaeologist Polina Sapouna Ellis and sure enough her creations are inspired and influenced by Ancient Greek art. 

Polina Sapouna Ellis has a doctorate in Classical Archaeology at the University of Heidelberg, but then painting and jewellery designing won her over. 

In her site [HERE] she tells her story in her own words.

Polina Sapouna-Ellis is an archaeologist by training, with a Doctorate in Classical Archaeology from the University of Heidelberg in Germany. She excavated on the islands of Crete and Evoia for many years with renowned Greek archaeologists Yanni & Effie Sakellaraki. She also studied History of Art, and is an accomplished painter. Her life among invaluable treasures of ancient art, as well as her own need to create, led her to painting and ultimately to her true passion: jewellery design.

“My approach to jewellery design stems from the architectural perspective. SYMMETRIA, the ancient Greek concept of counterbalance is fundamental. I believe in the power of geometry”.

The simplicity of clean geometrical shapes inspires and intrigues me, while it lends minimalistic and often futuristic elements to many of my creations. I view each piece of jewellery as a sculpture, a small structure born out of a concept, urging me to define how it will invade space; should it be large or small, shiny, matte, timid, assertive. I want my jewellery to be dynamic and often transformable, convertible to accommodate one’s mood.
Each one of my works produces its own unique ambience, simultaneously impacting and accommodating both body and soul of those wearing it.
As an archaeologist, ancient Greek shapes and motifs permeate my designs. The collections DORIAN, MEANDER or ANTITHESIS are triggered by the austere simplicity of ancient Greek norms.  The Greek landscape, the sea - THALASSA -, which I adore- infuses and invigorates my work as well. It was the sea that spawned my collection KYMA (wave). The human condition also inspires me.All the pieces in my “convertible” collection: EROS, CONNECTION, HARMONY, worn in various ways, reflect the human need to "connect”. My designs are a fusion of all that surrounds me both physically and conceptually. The Greek archaeology, landscape, art, science and philosophy inspire me and guide my work.

A Greek bar in Sartana, Ukraine

In the small village of Sartana, near Mariupol, Ukraine, the population is mainly Greek. The current political situation puts them in a very difficult spot.

This is a picture of their village coffee-house/ bar, called "Road", "Δρόμος". 

*You may read the interesting story of the Greek population in the Ukraine HERE.

Grecian chic at the 2014 Oscars

Lupita Nyong’o's dress at the Oscars last night was a lovely pale blue custom-made Prada gown in Grecian chic style: an infallible choice! 

The actress said that the pale blue color reminded her of her home-town Nairobi, Kenya. 

*photo via

The quintessential British backdrop

Today's post is actually written by Marina Labrakis, a DPhil candidate in modern Greek at the University of Oxford. 

Marina spotted and sent over the new advert for the Marks & Spencer stores in the UK. 

I republish her comments with her permission and also many many thanks - there's no way I could have put it better myself. 

It's the most recent Marks & Spencer advertising campaign, entitled 'Britain's Leading Ladies', which features a variety of prominent British women and is shot by Annie Leibovitz. In the background of one of the photos used, for some reason there is a classical statue, for instance as seen here.

According to the M&S blurb, "A London artist’s studio sets the scene for the rebellious yet playful ’London Calling’ trend... [which] captures the creative spirit of individuality." 

So it seems the reference to the classical world is there in order to evoke this idea of creativity. But I guess, also, the statue alludes to ideals of beauty, grace, and the perfect form, which of course M&S are keen to flag up in the context of a fashion campaign. Moreover, I'm interested by the appropriation of a classical artefact within a very celebratory British context (the campaign is described as using "quintessentially British backdrops"), in the service of extolling what is inspirational about British heritage.

But why in Lamia?

The following image is courtesy of fellow archaeologist Heinrich Hall, to whom many thanks are due for taking the photograph and sending it over for publication on the blog.
I can't really describe my enthusiasm when I saw it in my mail. 

This is a modern monument, a large marble stele, erected outside the Lamia castle in central Greece. 
It shows the legendary actress and once Minister of Culture Melina Merkouri standing in front of the Parthenon signing for victory. On the base lies an inscription in Greek, a Line from a poem written by the famous Greek poet Giannis Ritsos "Σε τούτα δω τα μάρμαρα κακιά σκουριά δεν πιάνει", which (translated rather freely) means "these marbles here can't be destroyed bad rust". 

This is an intriguing piece of modern art depicting a curious scene which seems/is out of place outside the Lamia castle. I couldn't find any more information regarding the artist or the reason why this monument was erected there. 

P.S. For Greek readers: Ο στίχος είναι από το "Εδώ το φως" από τα "Δεκαοκτώ λιανοτράγουδα της πικρής πατρίδας"

Σε τούτα δω τα μάρμαρα κακιά σκουριά δεν πιάνει
μηδέ αλυσίδα στου ρωμιού και στου αγεριού το πόδι. 

Εδώ το φως, εδώ ο γιαλός, - χρυσές, γαλάζιες γλώσσες,
στα βράχια ελάφια πελεκάν, τα σίδερα μασάνε

WW II Greek Heroes

Today's image should have been published yesterday. The 28th of October is Greece's national holiday commemorating the beginning of the Greek-Italian war and Greece's entrance in World War II. 

Greek archaeologist Valia Papanastasopoulou-Kasri posted the following sketch on her Facebook profile saying it comes from an English newspaper, obviously published during the Greek-Italian war when the Greeks demonstrated remarkable courage and strength. 
In this picture the Greek Heroes, warriors depicted on a Greek pediment, invite a Greek soldier to join them. 

When in Leuven

My dear friend, eminent archaeologist Kostas Paschalidis, sent this just now from Leuven, Belgium. 

This is a restaurant that doesn't fail to attract attention, as it is appropriately decorated to signify ancient Greece in all possible ways: the temple façade  Caryatids in the showcase and a nice original idea of putting a black-figured vase scene on the pediment. You just can't loose any clients, wondering what your cuisine is. 

Σκορπιοί εν Αθήναις

*Special thanks are due for this find to my good friend Marianna Tsigakou*

On September 2013 the legendary rock group The Scorpions did three concerts in Athens. 

The concerts were recorded and a CD will be released on November 29, 2013. It will be appropriately called "Scorpions MTV Unplugged". 

The Scorpions are particularly popular with Greek audiences and these Athenian concerts had a very interesting backdrop: scenes from red-figured vases decorated the back of the stage and one of them will also be on the cover of the CD. 

The Chios Twin Greek Bins

I just received this photograph from fellow archaeologist Marsia Bealby. 

Thank you Marsia for thinking of the blog when you saw this amazing find: 
two twin waste bins in Nagos beach on Chios island, Greece. 

I bet when you look at ancient Greek pots you never see them as serving as waste bins. Well, they most probably did at some point, so there you have it: Modern Greek creativity and consumption of Greek Antiquity does serve archaeological interpretation as well. 

Being the bee's knees

This is a very inventive way of using the famous Minoan golden bee pendant from the Chrysolakkos cemetery near Mallia in Crete.

The poster above publicises a very good cause, so the co-operative bees image seemed an appropriate choice: the 2nd Alternative Festival of Solidarity & Cooperative Economics, will be taking place in Athens, on 11-13 October 2013 at the Cultural Center of Elliniko.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremy Scott's Winged Shoes

Fashion designer Jeremy Scott has been collaborating with Adidas since 2008 producing a new version of the well-known high top Adidas shoe: the winged shoes.

Inspiration by Hermes' sandals is obvious and here are some examples