Color in Archaic Acropolis

Traces in sculpture and architecture

Chromatic detail of a sculpture (ACR 00035+_EEE7665Rs_MAVR)Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum in Athens houses a collection of these statues, some with traces of pigments still clinging to their surfaces. Scientific analysis reveals a rich palette: fiery reds, ochres, blues, and greens. These colors weren't merely decorative; they served a purpose.

Relief of the GigantomachyAcropolis Museum

Acr. 120 The "Relief of the Gigantomachy"

Relief depicting Gigantomachy, reassembled from many fragments.  
Athena in a chiton, himation, aegis with entwining snakes on its edges and an Attic-type helmet, sinks her spear held in her raised hand into a Giant who is trying to support himself on his sword.

Conservation artifact ACR 4184-2Acropolis Museum

Acr. 4184 Pillar Capital - Votive Offering Pedestal

Inscribed base of four votive offerings, i.e., bronze and marble figurines that would have been attached to an equal number of sockets in the top face. A bronze plate with two holes to receive the feet of a bronze figurine has survived.

Kore 679 "Peplo Kore"Acropolis Museum

Peplos Kore, possibly Artemis Acr. 679

Hair, irises and lips are colored red, while her pupils, eyelids, and brows might have been accentuated in black. Her sleeved chiton might have been blue with a green band at the neck and peplos with an upper overfold, tied with a belt, possibly blue and green.

Peploforos FaceAcropolis Museum

Acr. 679, The Peplos Kore

A reconstruction proposal.

Peplo (back - ACR 00679)Acropolis Museum

Acr. 679

Some details on the back.

Detail of Kore 679, From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
,
Kore 679 (back), From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
Show lessRead more

Details

Detail of Kore 684Acropolis Museum

Acr. 684 Kore

A dark brown color was used to emphasize the hair framing her face, while there are traces of red on her plaits. Black accentuates the eyebrows, outline of the eyelids, and pupils. Her irises are red.

Kore (ACR 684), From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
,
Detail of the eye of Kore 684, From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
,
Detail of mouth of Kore 684, From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
Show lessRead more

Kore 675 - VOUTSASAcropolis Museum

Acr. 675, The "Kore from Chios"

Dressed in long chiton with sleeves, blue on the upper part, white on the lower and fastened with a red belt. Over the chiton a short himation passes under her left arm. Her garments are richly decorated with elaborate red and light-blue painted motifs. 

The Persian or Scythian RiderAcropolis Museum

Acr. 606 The Persian or Scythian Rider

Dressed in a short chiton decorated with leaf-like motifs in green, red and blue colour with a yellow outline. His trousers are decorated with colorful diamonds whose size diminishes downwards, signifying the elasticity of the fabric. He wears red boots with bronze pins.

Acr. 606 The Persian or Scythian Rider

Some details. 

Details of sculptures (ACR 00035)Acropolis Museum

Acr. 35 Three-Bodied Daimon

From the waist up, the daimon’s forms are human with blue hair and beards and red skin. The embossed down of their wings is alternately red, blue, and unpainted. The plumage of the bird held by the third figure is red.

Sculpture (ACR 00035), From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
,
Chromatic detail of a sculpture (ACR 00035+_EEE7662Rs-MAVR), From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
,
Chromatic detail of a sculpture (ACR 00035+_EEE7665Rs_MAVR), From the collection of: Acropolis Museum
Show lessRead more

Old Athena Temple. Lion head-spout (-525/-500) by The "Rampin Master" (?)Acropolis Museum

Acr. 69 Architectural sculpture, part of a roof-gutter

Details rendered in relief and highlighted with color: blue for the mane, yellow for the ears, brown for the eye’s irises and pupils and red for the mouth. To the left a painted palmette with blue petals.

Credits: Story

 archaic colours, edition Acropolis Museum, 2012

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites