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A Four-horse Chariot Relief of the Fifth Century B.C.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 October 2013
Extract
Two fragments of relief, one in the British Museum, the other in the British School at Athens, have been found to adjoin.
The first piece is British Museum 814 (Plate 1). Museum Marbles ix (1842) 172 f., pl. 38. 2; A. H. Smith, BMC Sculpt, i (1892) 373; Furtwängler, Sammlung Sabouroff, text to pl. XXVI; Reisch, Griechische Weihgeschenke 50; Rouse, Greek Votive Offerings 177; W. H. Hyde, Olympic Victor Monuments (1921) 268; Rizzo, Bolletino d'Arte viii (1938) 348, fig. 25; C. C. Vermeule III, JHS lxxv (1955) 105, fig. 5.
Provenance, Athens. H. 0·70 m., W. 0·82 m., Th. 0·08 m., Depth of relief 0·03 m. Broken left and below. Above and to the right is a narrow frame of peculiar type, which comprises a flat fillet with chamfered inner margin, forming a mitred joint in the upper right corner. The marble is of fine and even crystal with a definite golden-brown patina, and is therefore likely to be Pentelic. The surface is generally very worn, and some higher features, such as the horses' heads, the face of the charioteer, and the nearside of the Nike above, are completely obliterated. Besides this, a calcareous deposit, mentioned in Museum Marbles as having damaged the stone, has at some time been lightly chiselled away. Hence the coarse appearance of, for example, the upper right corner of the frame, the background to the right of the charioteer, and the area in front of Nike's head.
The scene shows a four-horse chariot travelling at speed to the left, driven by a charioteer dressed in the usual long, sleeveless chiton, which swirls back in the wind.
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- Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1967
References
1 My thanks to the Trustees of the British Museum for permission to reproduce their photograph, to the Greek and Roman Department for rendering all possible assistance, and to the Director of the British School at Athens for permission to publish the fragment in the School Museum, and for providing a cast of it. I am also indebted to Pro fessor R. M. Cook for help in revising the manuscript and for making some valuable suggestions. Throughout this article I refer to reliefs in the National Museum, Athens as NM, to those in the Epigraphical Museum, Athens as EM, and to those in the British Museum as BM.
2 Somewhat confused. He seems to think that the reliefs treated by Smith and Museum Marbles are different ones.
3 The relief was acquired by Lord Elgin from the house of Logothetis, at that time British consul in Athens. This house would have been very close to the Acropolis, if not actually on it, and it is probable that the relief fragment would have been found in the vicinity.
4 6 cm. wide above, 5·7 cm. at the right.
5 At present a small piece of plaster is stuck to the lower part of the frame on the right, a relic of a previous setting in gypsum.
6 The reins would probably have been added in bronze. Slight traces of a drill hole remain in the hand, but the relief is very worn here. The left hand, which is held tightly in front of the body, may perhaps also have been holding the end of the reins.
7 She would have held a victor's wreath in her hands.
8 For suggestions as to what it might be, see below, p. 21.
9 As far as chariot reliefs of a purely honorary type are concerned—that is, those set up to mark a particular victory—the charioteer is always male, unless Nike herself takes over the reins. When female charioteers occur, e.g. on the Parthenon metopes or on later Neo-attic reliefs, they usually have an allegorical significance and represent Eos, Nyx, or Hemera. See Fuchs, W., Die Vorbilder der neuattischen Reliefs (1959) 122 with references.Google Scholar
10 The short hair is visible at the back of the head, where the original surface remains. On the upper body also the surface is quite well preserved.
11 Like the other few sculptural fragments in the School at Athens, this piece was previously in the possession of George Finlay, a philhellene of the early nineteenth century, who fought in the wars of Independence, and afterwards spent most of his life in Athens, where he wrote, inter alia, a History of Greece to modern times. How this piece came into his possession is not known, but it is likely to have been found in Athens.
12 Perhaps cement. The relief was probably built into some structure before being shattered and the fragments dispersed. A circular depression, c. 6·5 cm. in diameter and 2 cm. deep, in the back of this fragment, suggests it may have served as a threshold or door lintel.
13 For this feature, particularly in the so-called Lakonian peplos, see the female statue in Piraeus, , RM li (1936) 136–7, Pls. 18–19Google Scholar, and generally Bieber, Griechische Kleidung.
14 Museum Marbles, loc. cit.
15 For chariot racing in the Panathenaic Games, see P–W s.v. Panathenaia, esp. cols. 474 ff.
16 Such a figure is found on some chariot reliefs, e.g. NM 1783 and BM 815 (see below p. 23), but this suggestion is not favoured by the shallow angle at which the object is held.
17 Walter, O., Beschreibung der Reliefs im kleinen Akropolismuseum in Athen, esp. nos. 38 ff.Google Scholar
18 The influence of the Erechtheion Caryatids is perhaps to be seen here; cf. Binneboessel, R., Studien zu den Urkundenreliefs des 5. u. 4. Jhts. v. Chr. 38.Google Scholar This feature does, however, occur earlier on the decree relief, Eleusis 63 of 422/1 B.C.: Binneboessel, no. 5, p. 28; Speier, , RM xlvii (1932) Pls. 8–9.Google Scholar Cf. the figures on the Nike frieze: Blümel, , Der Fries des Tempels der Athena Nike, Pls. I–III.Google Scholar
19 So on Eleusis 63 (note 18 above), and Walter, Beschreibung, no. 11.
20 e.g. EM 6928 (406/5 B.C.): Binneboessel, no. 19; Süsserott, , Griechische Plastik des 4. Jhts. v. Chr. pl. 1. 2.Google Scholar Walter, Beschreibung, no. 58. EM 2814, Svoronos, , Das Athener Nationalmuseum, pl. 230.Google Scholar
21 EM 6598 (410/9 B.C.): Binneboessel, no. 15; Svoronos, pl. 204. Cf. Walter, , Beschreibung, nos. 27, 74.Google Scholar
22 NM 1481 (362/1 B.C.): Svoronos, pl. 106. For the seated type see the Athenas on the Nike parapet, slabs 991 and 989, Carpenter, , The Sculptures of the Nike Temple Parapet, Pls. 19 and 24Google Scholar; for derivations cf. Acropolis 1330: Casson, , Cat. ii. 231Google Scholar; EM 6609 (c. 415–410 B.C.): Svoronos, pl. 207. 2.
23 So Acropolis 1329: Casson, , Cat. ii. 229.Google Scholar
24 P–W, s.vv. Lampadedromia and Panathenaia.
25 This makes it one of the largest votive reliefs in existence, rivalled only by the Nymph relief NM 4466: Fuchs, , AM lxxvii (1962) 246, n. 27, pl. 69Google Scholar; and the Asklepios reliefs NM 1332 and 1333: Svoronos, pl. 36. 2 and 36. 3.
26 For this phenomenon see Walter, Beschreibung, no. 175, where a break runs round an altar.
27 Cat. no. 769: Furtwängler, op. cit., text to pl. XXVI, n. 13; Reisch, op. cit. 50; EA 563.
28 Reisch, loc. cit.; Marm. Taurin, ii, pl. XXXIII; Dütschke, iv. 92, no. 174.
29 Cat. no. 725: Blümel, , Kat. iii. K80.Google Scholar Early fourth century.
30 Panathenaic prize amphorae: Hildesheim, 1254 (AA 1919, 80, fig. 1Google Scholar; ABV 4.12). British Museum B606 (CVA i, pl. 1. 2; ABV 411). Both dated c 410–400 B.C.
31 Numerous examples occur in architectural sculpture. A pillar indicates a sanctuary on a slab from the Ilissos temple frieze: Blümel, , Kat. iii, pl. 23.Google Scholar Statues have a similar significance on Parthenon metopes, North XXV: Praschniker, , Parthenonstudien 99, fig. 74Google Scholar; and South XXI: preserved in Carrey's drawing, Smith, , The Sculptures of the Parthenon 34, fig. 59.Google Scholar Cf. altars on the Bassae frieze, slabs BM 524, 535: Kenner, , Der Fries des Tempels von Bassae-Phigaleia, Pls. 5, 16Google Scholar; Hahland, , ÖJh xliv (1959) 12, fig. 7 and 21, fig. 20.Google Scholar
32 See the Neo-attic reliefs in Piraeus. Fuchs, op. cit. Pls. 3, 28, 34, 35.
33 e.g. chariot relief NM 1391: Svoronos, pl. 56; grave reliefs of Erasippos and Meixias, Xanthippos, and Mnesagora and Nikochares: Diepolder, , Die attischen Grabreliefs, Pls. 2. 2, 4, 5.Google Scholar Cf. decree relief EM 2795 (either 396/5 or 388/7 B.C.): Binneboessel, no. 25; Svoronos, pl. 226. 3.
34 For example, a relief with upper frame only, which consists of flat fillet and rounded moulding (e.g. NM 1329: Svoronos, pl. 44), is likely to belong to the period c. 420–400 B.C. A rather heavy surround with side antae (e.g. NM 1389: Svoronos, pl. 54), should be dated c. 410–380 B.C. A full naiskos surround, with antae, architrave, and roof tiles, first appears c. 390 B.C. and becomes regular after c. 380 B.C. (e.g. NM 4465: Fuchs, , AM lxxvii (1962) 246, pl. 68).Google Scholar
35 Noticeable particularly in the right arm of Athena, and the body of the nearest horse.
36 Cf. Kenner, op. cit.
37 Lullies, and Hirmer, , Greek Sculpture, pl. 176.Google Scholar
38 Diepolder, op. cit. pl. 8. 2. He dates it (p. 16) to c. 430–425 B.C.
39 Carpenter, op. cit. 35, pl. XIII.
40 Dated 394/3 B.C. Conze, Die attischen Grabreliefs, no. 1158; Lullies and Hirmer, pl. 191.
41 For detailed studies, see Hafner, Viergespanne in Vorderansicht; Deonna, , Le Quadrighe (Genava lx (1931) 85–115).Google Scholar Cf. Markman, The Horse in Greek Art.
42 Reisen, op. cit. 49 ff., made a collection of existing material, but is now seriously out of date, not least because he mistook several Neo-attic works for Classical originals. For Neo-attic chariot reliefs see Fuchs, , Die Vorbilder 118 ff.Google Scholar
43 NM 1783: Walter, , AE 1937, 97–119.Google Scholar
44 Cat. no. 1545: Blümel, , Kat. iii. K79.Google Scholar Apparently Rhodian work, although an Attic design is employed.
45 Walter, Beschreibung, no. 318.
46 Kekule, 65 BWPr 1905.
47 Smith, , BMC Sculpt, i.Google Scholar
48 Berlin 1545 has a suppliant on the left, turned to face the chariot, in a manner not dissimilar to Athena on our relief. Cf. the youth who faces the chariot on the Turin relief.
49 Tillyard, , The Hope Vases 123, no. 233, pl. 33, with literature.Google Scholar
50 Robinson, , Olynthus xii. 344 f.Google Scholar, colour pl. I. This mosaic has a curious combination of motifs: Dionysos wearing charioteer's chiton in a chariot drawn by two felines, a satyr running in front in the manner of Hermes, and an Eros floating above—an element which usually belongs to a Pluto–Persephone scene. For an instance in sculpture of Dionysos the charioteer, cf. the fragmentary relief NM 3139: Svoronos, pl. 202 (to be dated c. 375 B.C.), from the sanctuary of Dionysos at Dionyso in Attica. A chariot is pulled by two quadrupeds, which, from their slender bodies and long legs, appear to be felines.
51 Eichler, , Die Reliefs des Heroon von Gjölbaschi-Trysa, pl. 24/5, A2, B1.Google Scholar
52 Blümel, , Kat. iii. K80.Google Scholar
53 Svoronos, pl. 56.
54 For the apobates race in the Panathenaic Games, see P–W s.v. Panathenaia 478. It was the oldest, and probably the most important event of the Games, involving as it did both gymnastics and horsemanship.
55 Smith, , The Sculptures of the Parthenon 56–58, 63–64, Pls. 44–50, 84–86.Google Scholar
56 Apart from those mentioned, cf. the statue base, Acropolis 1326: Casson, , Cat. ii. 227Google Scholar; and a similar base in the Agora Museum, S. 399.
57 Eichler, op. cit. pl. 10, C. 1.
58 See above nn. 35, 36.
59 Walter, , Beschreibung, nos. 254–7 and possibly 258.Google Scholar Cf. no. 403.
60 Voyage archéologique (ed. Reinach, ), pl. 92. 2.Google Scholar
61 Built into the south side of the Panaghia church in Thebes.
62 AM ii (1877) 318; Furtwängler, op. cit., text to pl. XXVI, n. 12.
63 NM 2784: Svoronos, pl. 115; Sybel, no. 308; Reisch, op. cit. 50.
64 Furtwängler, op. cit., text to pl. XXVI, n. 15.
65 IG ii2. 226, datable to c. 340 B.C.: Binneboessel 63, no. 54. For a new fragment which adjoins on right, see Walter, , ÖJh xxxii (1940) 1 f.Google Scholar He suggests that the relief NM 2948: Svoronos, pl. 191, with a chariot and four moving to the right, headed this decree.
66 BMC Sculpt, ii. 1036–7, pl. 18. There seem to be at least twenty chariot groups.
67 So NM 1474 (355/4 B.C.): Svoronos, pl. 105; Binneboessel, no. 42. NM 2985 (c. 330 B.C.): Binneboessel, no. 42; Süsserott, op. cit. pl. 5. 4. Cf. Walter, Beschreibung, no. 38; and the relief in Palermo, : EA 562.Google Scholar
68 Walter, Beschreibung, no. 244.
69 Cf. ibid., no. 253, where a standing figure crowns a horse.
70 Seltman, , Greek Coins, Pls. VIII, IX, XIV, XXII–XXIII.Google ScholarHead, , Historia Numorum 2171 f.Google Scholar
71 Seltman, pl. VIII. 13, 14.
72 Idem, pl. IX. 1–9.
73 Idem, pl. XIV. 8–12.
74 For coins with chariots and Nikai facing to the left, cf. Seltman, pl. XXII. 3, 6.
75 First versions by Sosion (Seltman, pl. XXII. 10), and Eumenos, (Historia Numorum 2174, fig. 96).Google Scholar
76 Seltman, pl. XXIII. 4–6.
77 For the influence on coinage of other cities, cf. Seltman, Pls. XXIV, XXVI–XXVII.
78 Precisely this process has been shown to occur in Attic grave reliefs when they reappeared in the second half of the fifth century B.C. See Diepolder, op. cit. 1 f.
79 Historia Numorum 2, fig. 96.
80 Perspective in Ancient Drawing and Painting (1956) 11–23.
81 Ibid. 20.
82 Ibid. 16 f., pl. 2 c. Lullies and Hirmer, pl. 44, centre.
83 Smith, op. cit. Both north and south sides are much damaged where the chariots occur, but Carrey's drawings give a rough idea of those parts which are missing.
84 Slabs XVII, XVIII, Smith, pl. 47.
85 The best version is on South XXX: Smith, pl. 85. The sculptor has not only managed to show all the four horses' heads adequately but has turned those of two and three towards one another–a feature to be seen on later reliefs: e.g. NM 1783; see above.
86 e.g. North side, in the battle of the Gods and Giants: KiB 209. 6; Lullies and Hirmer, pl. 47, top. South side, in the procession of chariots: De la Coste-Messelière, , Delphes, Pls. 72, 73.Google Scholar
87 So Bassae frieze BM 523, the stag chariot of Apollo and Artemis: Kenner, op. cit. pl. 4; Hahland, , ÖJh xliv (1959) 12, fig. 13.Google Scholar Cf. NM 1391, 1783 above. No wheels remain on Berlin K79 and K80—they were probably metal additions—but it is clear from the chariot frames that they were oblique.