Kallichoron: Well of Demeter (Eleusis, Greece)
Sanctuary of Demeter (Eleusis, Greece)
Eleusinian mysteries
Ancient Greek religion
Homeric hymn to Demeter
Demeter (Greek deity)
Persephone (Greek deity)
Hades (Greek deity)
Classical Greece
This photograph depicts the Kallichoron, or, the Well Around Which to Dance. According to the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, this well, located in Eleusis, Greece, is the spot where Demeter stopped to rest and weep after the abduction of her daughter, Persephone, by the god of the underworld, Hades. During the Eleusinian Mysteries, one of the most important and popular mystery cults from the Greco-Roman world, initiates would dance around this well in honor of the goddesses, ultimately giving it its name.
Proctor, Christopher
03-June-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
1500 BCE – 396 CE
Olympieion: Temple of Olympian Zeus (Athens, Greece)
Olympieion (Athens, Greece)
Temple of Olympian Zeus (Athens, Greece)
Zeus (Greek deity)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Ancient Greek religion
Athens (Greece)
Pisistratus, 605 B.C.?-528 B.C. or 527 B.C.
This photograph depicts the remaining columns and base of a megalithic temple dedicated to Zeus as the King of the Olympians. Located not far from the base of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, construction on this temple began in 520 BCE under the rule of the Pisistratid Tyranny. The massive project, however, would not be completed for another six centuries under the auspices of the Roman Emperor, Hadrian. The temple was mostly destroyed in 267 CE when Germanic invaders demolished cities of the Greek mainland.
Proctor, Christopher
08-June-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
520 BCE - 267 CE
Olympieion: Temple of Olympian Zeus Corinthian Column Detail (Athens, Greece)
Olympieion (Athens, Greece)
Temple of Olympian Zeus (Athens, Greece)
Zeus (Greek deity)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Ancient Greek religion
Athens (Greece)
Pisistratus, 605 B.C.?-528 B.C. or 527 B.C.
This photograph depicts a detail view of the remaining columns of a megalithic temple dedicated to Zeus as the King of the Olympians. Located not far from the base of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, construction on this temple began in 520 BCE under the rule of the Pisistratid Tyranny. The massive project, however, would not be completed for another six centuries under the auspices of the Roman Emperor, Hadrian. The temple was mostly destroyed in 267 CE when Germanic invaders demolished cities of the Greek mainland.
Proctor, Christopher
08-June-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
520 BCE - 267 CE
Parthenon: Eastern Metopes (Athens, Greece)
Parthenon (Athens, Greece)
Athena (Greek deity)
Acropolis (Athens, Greece)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Ancient Greek religion
Athens (Greece)
Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Age of Pericles
Pericles, 495-429 B.C.
Phidias, approximately 500 B.C.-approximately 430 B.C.
Relief (Sculpture), Greek
The Parthenon is perhaps the most famous Greek temple from Classical Period. Dedicated to Athena's perpetual virginity (Parthenos), the Parthenon was built during the revitalization campaign of Pericles, which rebuilt the infrastructure of Athens after the Persian forces destroyed most of the city in 480 BCE. These new buildings, the Parthenon chief among them, were also meant to demonstrate Athens' dominance over the Mediterranean world. The Parthenon took nearly 15 years to complete, beginning in 447 BCE and finishing in 432 BCE. The main chamber of the building (naos) contained a statue of the goddess sculpted by the artist, Phidias, and standing nearly 40 feet tall. The secondary, smaller chamber behind the main naos was used as a treasury after the Athenians moved the war funds of the Delian League from the island of Delos to Athens.
Bas-relief sculptures known as metopes ran around both sets of external walls of the Parthenon. This photograph captures several metopes on the outer wall, just under the eastern pediment. Each series of metopes on the four sides of the temple had a unified theme, and the eastern set depicted the Gigantomachia: i.e. the mythic battle between the Olympians and the Giants.
Proctor, Christopher
29-May-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Parthenon: Eastern Pediment (Athens, Greece)
Parthenon (Athens, Greece)
Athena (Greek deity)
Acropolis (Athens, Greece)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Ancient Greek religion
Athens (Greece)
Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Age of Pericles
Pericles, 495-429 B.C.
Phidias, approximately 500 B.C.-approximately 430 B.C.
Greek sculpture
The Parthenon is perhaps the most famous Greek temple from Classical Period. Dedicated to Athena's perpetual virginity (Parthenos), the Parthenon was built during the revitalization campaign of Pericles, which rebuilt the infrastructure of Athens after the Persian forces destroyed most of the city in 480 BCE. These new buildings, the Parthenon chief among them, were also meant to demonstrate Athens' dominance over the Mediterranean world. The Parthenon took nearly 15 years to complete, beginning in 447 BCE and finishing in 432 BCE. The main chamber of the building (naos) contained a statue of the goddess sculpted by the artist, Phidias, and standing nearly 40 feet tall. The secondary, smaller chamber behind the main naos was used as a treasury after the Athenians moved the war funds of the Delian League from the island of Delos to Athens.
This photograph captures the eastern pediment of the Parthenon, which would have stood directly above the doors of the main cult chamber. The scene would have depicted the birth of Athena springing fully armored from the head of her father, Zeus. Now, only a portion of the sculpture remains; the rest of it is housed in the British Museum.
Proctor, Christopher
29-May-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Parthenon: Eastern View (Athens, Greece)
Parthenon (Athens, Greece)
Athena (Greek deity)
Acropolis (Athens, Greece)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Ancient Greek religion
Athens (Greece)
Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Age of Pericles
Pericles, 495-429 B.C.
The Parthenon is perhaps the most famous Greek temple from Classical Period. Dedicated to Athena's perpetual virginity (Parthenos), the Parthenon was built during the revitalization campaign of Pericles, which rebuilt the infrastructure of Athens after the Persian forces destroyed most of the city in 480 BCE. These new buildings, the Parthenon chief among them, were also meant to demonstrate Athens' dominance over the Mediterranean world. The Parthenon took nearly 15 years to complete, beginning in 447 BCE and finishing in 432 BCE. The main chamber of the building (naos) contained a statue of the goddess sculpted by the artist, Phidias, and standing nearly 40 feet tall. The secondary, smaller chamber behind the main naos was used as a treasury after the Athenians moved the war funds of the Delian League from the island of Delos to Athens.
This photograph captures the eastern entrance of the Parthenon, which would have housed the doors leading into the main cult chamber. If the Parthenon sanctuary included a temple, it would have been located on this side of the building. During sacrifices, the naos' doors would have been left open so that the massive statue of the goddess could watch over the festivities.
Proctor, Christopher
29-May-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Parthenon: Southern View (Athens, Greece)
Parthenon (Athens, Greece)
Athena (Greek deity)
Acropolis (Athens, Greece)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Ancient Greek religion
Athens (Greece)
Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Age of Pericles
Pericles, 495-429 B.C.
The Parthenon is perhaps the most famous Greek temple from Classical Period. Dedicated to Athena's perpetual virginity (Parthenos), the Parthenon was built during the revitalization campaign of Pericles, which rebuilt the infrastructure of Athens after the Persian forces destroyed most of the city in 480 BCE. These new buildings, the Parthenon chief among them, were also meant to demonstrate Athens' dominance over the Mediterranean world. The Parthenon took nearly 15 years to complete, beginning in 447 BCE and finishing in 432 BCE. The main chamber of the building (naos) contained a statue of the goddess sculpted by the artist, Phidias, and standing nearly 40 feet tall. The secondary, smaller chamber behind the main naos was used as a treasury after the Athenians moved the war funds of the Delian League from the island of Delos to Athens.
This photograph captures the southern wall of the Parthenon. The gaping hole in this side of the temple was the result of an explosion in 1687 after the Ottoman Turks had converted the Parthenon into a mosque and began storing gun powder in the main chamber. Efforts are currently underway to piece the main chamber back together.
Proctor, Christopher
29-May-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Parthenon: Western View (Athens, Greece)
Parthenon (Athens, Greece)
Athena (Greek deity)
Acropolis (Athens, Greece)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Ancient Greek religion
Athens (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Age of Pericles
Pericles, 495-429 B.C.
The Parthenon is perhaps the most famous Greek temple from Classical Period. Dedicated to Athena's perpetual virginity (Parthenos), the Parthenon was built during the revitalization campaign of Pericles, which rebuilt the infrastructure of Athens after the Persian forces destroyed most of the city in 480 BCE. These new buildings, the Parthenon chief among them, were also meant to demonstrate Athens' dominance over the Mediterranean world. The Parthenon took nearly 15 years to complete, beginning in 447 BCE and finishing in 432 BCE. The main chamber of the building (naos) contained a statue of the goddess sculpted by the artist, Phidias, and standing nearly 40 feet tall. The secondary, smaller chamber behind the main naos was used as a treasury after the Athenians moved the war funds of the Delian League from the island of Delos to Athens.
This photograph captures the western side of the Parthenon. When one first enters the Acropolis through its main gate, the Propylaea, this is the first view one will have of the famous temple. This side of the structure would have contained the riches of the Delian League after the treasury was relocated from the island of Delos to Athens.
Proctor, Christopher
23-May-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
Greece--History--Athenian supremacy, 479-431 B.C.
Ploutonion: Temple of Hades (Eleusis, Greece)
Persephone and Hades
Eleusinian mysteries
Ancient Greek religion
Temples, Greek--Greece
Hades (Greek deity)
Classical Greece
Homeric hymn to Demeter
This photograph shows the ruins of the Ploutonion, a temple dedicated to the god of the underworld, Hades. Classical beliefs prevented the Greeks from referring to Hades by his proper name, so the alias, "Pluto," meaning "Wealth," was used in its stead. The temple was built into the recesses of the cave where it was believed Persephone descended to and ascended from the underworld every year. In this sense, this small cave at Eleusis was believed to be the entrance to the underworld.
Proctor, Christopher
03-June-2007
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Attikē (Greece)
1500 BCE – 396 CE
Telesterion: Temple of Demeter and Persephone (Eleusis, Greece)
Sanctuary of Demeter (Eleusis, Greece)
Eleusinian mysteries
Eleusis (Greece)
Temples, Greek--Greece
Demeter (Greek deity)
Ancient Greek religion
Homeric hymn to Demeter
Persephone (Greek deity)
This photograph depicts the Telesterion, the ancient temple dedicated to the goddesses Demeter and Persephone. Located in Eleusis, Greece, the Telesterion was home to one of the most popular Mystery Cults of the ancient Greco-Roman world: i.e. the Eleusinian Mysteries. The myth associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries is recorded in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, which is an etiological myth describing the reason for the four seasons. In sum, Demeter's daughter, Persephone, was abducted by the god of the underworld, Hades. Refusing to let the young goddess return to her mother, Demeter - the goddess responsible for the growing of grains and other dry plants - refused to allow plants to grow. Zeus, the father of Persephone, convinced his brother, Hades, to return the girl to her mother for two-thirds of the year, and it was believed Persephone emerged from the underworld in Eleusis.
Proctor, Christopher
03-June-2007
Noncommercial Reuse: The author of this work gives permission for this digital image to be reused
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Attikē (Greece)
1500 BCE – 396 CE