* The Western Civilization is characterized by a host of artistic, philosophic, literary, and legal themes and traditions having origins of European traditions.

the birthplace of Western Civilization

Horrible Histories - Ancient Greek Ready for School?

http://Life as an Ancient Greek Teenager!

The main goal for Ancient Greek artists was to depict

ultimate beauty and harmony.

Ancient Greek Art • Greeks depicted perfect body proportions and emphasized the muscular build

of the human figure (Perfect = Ideal)(Since the Olympics originated in Ancient Greece, it makes sense that artists wanted to depict the perfect

athletic build to inspire their athletes!)

• They studied every detail of the human body…they used their eyes!

• Greeks also believed in perfect proportions in their architecture and music following the guidelines for mathematical proportion.

• Greeks built temples (sanctuaries) and created statues to honor their many Gods.

• For a list of Gods, Goddesses and figures of Greek Mythology, click here• For a sample of Ancient Greek Music, click here

Ancient Greek Architecture

Ancient Greek Architecture

• The Acropolis of Athens is located on a high rocky edge above the city of Athens and within its approx. 7 acres, it was a religious and spiritual sanctuary which contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon.

Rick Stevens

Ariel View of Today’s Acropolis with the theater of Dionysos in the foreground

Temple of Athena

NikeThe

ParthenonThe

Erechtheion

Leo Von Klenze, Reconstruction of the Acropolis. 1846

Idealized view of the Acropolis and Athena Promachos, by the painter Leo von Klenze in 1846. The artist imagined the great statue of Athena Promachos as visible from far away, carrying a great spear in her right hand.

456 BCE

The Parthenon, built in the fifth century B.C., is perhaps the most well known example of Greek architecture. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, the Parthenon was an example of the Greek ideals of structure and devotion to their faith. Its construction began in 447 BC

when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power.

The Parthenon

The East Façade

The Temple of Athena Nike was built between 427 and 424 BC,

The Temple of Athena Nike

Nike means victory in Greek, and Athena was worshipped in this form, as goddess of victory in war and wisdom

The Erechtheion, 421-406 BCE, Acropolis, Athens

The Erechtheion was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon.

CaryatidA caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town. Karyai had a famous temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis. "As Artemis rejoiced in the dances of the nut-tree village of Karyai, those Karyatides, who in their ecstatic round-dance carried on their heads baskets of live reeds, as if they were dancing plants"

Caryatid from the Erechtheion in Athens. Marble, Greek artwork, ca. 420 BC.

Ancient Greek SculptureGreek sculpture was focused on the human body. The following examples were

manifestations that Greek sculptors have perfected human anatomy

Myron, Discobolus. (Discus Thrower), 450 BCE

Apollo Belvedere(detail)

This is a marble sculpture called the Winged Victory of Samothrace

(Samothrace is an island in the North Aegean Sea)

It was created in the third century B.C.E. (220-185 BCE).

It Greek goddess Nike ( also known as Victory), who was a beautiful woman endowed with wings.

It is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world. It was raised upon the Isle of Samothrace, overlooking the sea.

The work is notable for its naturalistic pose and for the carving of the figure’s draped garments, which shows it as if its rippling in a strong sea breeze …which is also considered especially compelling.

Statue is 9 feet tall

Pedestal is 1 foot tall

Base is 6.7 feet tall

Heracles and Geryon on an Attic black-figured amphora with a thick layer of transparent gloss, c. 540 BC

*Attica (Attic) is a place well known for its iron rich (red) clay in Ancient Greek Territory

Greek vessels have an almost endless repertoire of scenes covering a wide range of themes

Horseman on a late Corinthian olpe by an associate of the Hippolyte Painter, ca 575/550 BC

References and Great Websites to check out!

• http://www.ancient.eu.com/Acropolis/ • http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis_of_Athens