Art in Greece

Nothing can compare with climbing the acropolis in Athens and visiting Delphi (one of our favorite places in the world). The museums in Athens, and at the various archaeological sites in Greece are filled with treasures.

videos + essays

The Kouroi of Kleobis and Biton
The Kouroi of Kleobis and Biton

Standing more than 6’ tall, the statues of Kleobis and Biton had a commanding presence that would encourage passersby to stop and look at their images.

Knossos
Knossos

There aren’t many places in the world like Knossos—after all, it is 9,000 years old.

Minoan art, an introduction
Minoan art, an introduction

The Bronze Age culture of Crete, called Minoan, is one of the most vibrant and admired in all of European prehistory.

An introduction to the ancient Aegean
An introduction to the ancient Aegean

The people of the ancient Aegean were great seafarers and traders, talented potters, painters, jewelers, weavers and carvers of stone.

Cycladic art, an introduction
Cycladic art, an introduction

The ancient Cycladic islands are perhaps best known for the elegant, small-scale marble sculptures—nearly all of women—known as Cycladic Figurines.

Mycenaean art, an introduction
Mycenaean art, an introduction

Mycenaean culture dominated southern Greece, but is perhaps best known for the site of Mycenae itself.

Destruction, memory, and monuments: The many lives of the Parthenon
Destruction, memory, and monuments: The many lives of the Parthenon

The Parthenon has echoed through history, but what part of that history do we prize, and which do we ignore?

Black Figures in Classical Greek Art
Black Figures in Classical Greek Art

Preconceived notions of Black people are seared into our country’s collective consciousness; without an overhaul of the “black=slaves in perpetuity” trope, damaging stereotypes become ossified as facts for future generations.

Mosaics and microcosm: the monasteries of Hosios Loukas, Nea Moni, and Daphni
Mosaics and microcosm: the monasteries of Hosios Loukas, Nea Moni, and Daphni

These glittering mosaics offered Byzantine worshippers a vision of God in the heavens, sacred history, and the saints.

Statuette of a Male Figure (The Palaikastro Kouros)
Statuette of a Male Figure (The Palaikastro Kouros)

This ivory statue of a young man bears similarities to both Greek and Egyptian art.

Kamares Ware Jug
Kamares Ware Jug

This delicate type of pottery helps us understand the far-reaching trade networks in the ancient Mediterranean.

Hagia Triada sarcophagus
Hagia Triada sarcophagus

This beautifully painted sarcophagus depicts an elaborate burial ritual—was it made for royalty?