The De-lightful Caryatid

This post is courtesy of fellow archaeologist Vasko Demou. Many thanks Vasko!

This year's poster for the 19th Athens International Film Festival, made by Jonathan Burton, features a... de-lightful Caryatid. 

Here's the link to the Festival's site 

The Lebanese Poseidon

This photograph is courtesy of my dear friend Kostas Paschalidis to whom I extend my deepest thanks. 
He informs me that this is the sign of the Beirut Yachting Club featuring none other than Poseidon with trident in hand. 

Minoan fresco in Andros.

It is with great pride and joy that I present through this blog an amazing discovery done by my dear friend and avid researcher, Mania Kostopoulou. 

Mania recently discovered this extraordinary Minoan fresco on the island of Andros. It is as yet the first of its kind, but in fact no surprise to all students of Minoan culture, who would expect Minoan influence to have reached the island at least by the Neopalatial period. 

Not only is this a unique occurrence on Andros but a unique Minoan fresco as well regarding its subject. As you may see part of a standing male musician to the left survives playing a double flute. He is wearing the characteristic Minoan kilt with phallus-sheath and double belt, his wavy long strands of hair flowing in the back. Facing the musician was another human of which only the hands survive, stretched towards the male musician, belonging seemingly to a female figure, with three beaded bracelets on the right wrist. This human appears to be positioned higher and portrayed in a larger scale, so perhaps a divine figure is depicted enjoying the musician's performance. 

Hopefully more frescoes like this one will come to light after the systematic research of the bar, now lying in ruins, the walls of which they decorated. 



*Disclaimer* 
This is a humorous piece referring to a modern fresco decorating the walls of a modern bar on the island of Andros. 

UPDATE

More photographs from the interior of the bar provided by Mania Kostopoulou and Paris Stefanidis (many many thanks guys!) 

Juvenalia in Poland

Sophia Katseli, reporting from Poland, informed me (via our good mutual friend Marianna Tsigakou) of the customary celebration of student spring break week in Poland involving dress-up and drinking activities. 

They appropriately call the whole celebration juvenalia or piastonalia and, as you can see from the photographs kindly provided by Sophia, some dress up (or undress, depends on how you see things) inspired by Roman and Greek antiquity. 

Though this seems more Roman than Greek, I have to say I was really smitten by the way a

young student uses his nice black-figured amphora. 

*Many thanks Sophia and Marianna!*

Happy Greek Easter

Tomorrow Orthodox Greeks celebrate Easter all over the world and wish each other 
Καλό Πάσχα, Happy Easter!

You would think a Christian holiday would have nothing to do with ancient Greece, but I found three images that perfectly fit the Easter context and help me wish Happy Easter to all the readers of the blog! 

Artwork by Steph Laberis reproduced from this page (many thanks to Louise Hitchcock and Marsia Bealby who brought this to my attention)

Dizzie in Greece

I am immensely grateful to fellow archaeologist Vasko (Vassilis) Demou for bringing this to my attention and also leading me to an excellent entry in a blog providing more information (see below). 

Thanks Vasko!

This is the cover of an album by Dizzie Gillespie which came out in 1956. 

In March of 1956, bebop trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and his band embarked for Southern Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia on the first U.S. State Department Jazz tour. The urgency to strengthen the image of America in the Mediterranean led him to Athens for a series of concerts. And Dizzy, with his spell-binding virtuosity, arresting solos, and egalitarian sensibilities buoyed by playful humor, won over a wide variety of audiences.

Greeks had been rioting in Athens in May 1956, protesting America's resolve to support the British in the struggle for Cyprus. Newspapers were asking why America was sending Jazz bands to Greece instead of guns. Dizzy's opening concert was staged for the same students who had just thrown rocks at the windows of the U.S. Information Service. Tension was high as the band started to play and students jeered. Quickly, an ominous silence fell. And then... as the band roared and swung, the jeers turned to cheers and the riot had turned to roaring approval with hats, jackets and other apparel thrown to the ceiling. The crowd was so taken that they carried Dizzy out on their shoulders stalling traffic in the center of Athens.

Dizzy and Quincy Jones also met with legendary composer Manos Hadjidakis and the infamous bouzouki player Vassilis Tsitsanis. Gilespie with his trumpet, Tsitsanis on the bouzouki and Quincy Jones on the piano jammed together for hours and it has been told that it was some sight to behold!

Information via this excellent blog HERE

Athens Parthenon Greece in your pocket

This photograph is courtesy of Michalis Michail @Lifo

Many many thanks Michali for this exquisite find. I can't have enough of these in the blog!