'Wonder Woman' found on Hellenic vase, looted Hermes head returned to Greece, 1-euro screenings at the Acropolis Museum, and concert at Athens Panathinaiko Stadium to fund new Delos museum

A news roundup today as I am incredibly pressed for time. Lots happening in the world, after all!


Amazonian 'Wonder Woman' found on ancient Hellenic vase
The Archaeological News Network reports that an accidental archeological discovery on a small cylindrical vase dated between 480-450 BC in the University of Mississippi’s David M. Robinson Memorial Collection revealed a warrior woman on horseback who had previously gone unnoticed. The image, drawn on a cyindrical box with a lid used by women of antiquity to keep jewelry or cosmetics showed an image of a woman embroiled in battle against an Hellenic warrior. More intriguingly, the woman, much like the DC Comics heroine Wonder Woman, has a lariet, a lasso, that she is preparing to throw over the warrior as he crouches behind his shield.

Amazons depicted in battle are not unusual per se, however Stanford University’s Departments of Classics and History of Science Professor Adrienne Mayor says that it is the only ancient artistic image of an Amazon using a lariat in battle though historians have given us descriptions of the warrior women using these. She discovered the vase while researching her book, titled 'Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World'. Mayor says that ancient Hellenic women would have enjoyed scenes of Amazons getting the better of their male counterparts. She says that the illustration on the vase is both erotic and subversive.


Bonhams returns looted Hermes head to Greece

At the presentation of an ancient marble head depicting the god Hermes, returned to Greece on Monday from Bonhams auction house as the product of illegal antiquities smuggling, Alternate Culture Minister Nikos Xydakis said it was proof of what Greece's archaeological service could accomplish. The ancient marble head is a Roman copy of a major Classical-era Hellenic sculpture  by Alkamenes, originally housed in the south wing of the Acropolis Propylaea.

Xydakis went on to say that these actions are a reply to some of the exaggerated claims that the Greek government does not pursue stolen or auctioned antiquities. He noted that the case was unprecedented in that the artifact had not been on any of the archaeological service's lists and the evidence showing it was illegally exported had to be put together from scratch but was sufficiently strong as to convince the auction house.

The ancient marble head, about 24 cm high, was discovered among the works put up for auction by Bonhams and it was withdrawn after the culture ministry intervened. The minister stressed that Greece's efforts for the protection of its heritage were constant and in recent years had given the country considerable prestige and influence within international organisations. He also noted that changes during the EU presidency of the European Council had strengthened the EU legal framework for the return of stolen antiquities.


1-euro screenings at the Acropolis Museum
Every Saturday and every Sunday, the Acropolis Museum welcomes visitors to its Virtual Reality Theater where visitors have the opportunity to learn more about the Acropolis monuments from brief 3D video screenings. The ten-minute film “Acropolis in Antiquity” presents the topography and the monuments of the Rock of the Acropolis during the prehistoric, the Archaic and the classical period. The film aims to help visitors recreate and imagine the impressive sanctuary with the aid of 3D models.

Projections are held every Saturday and Sunday, at 11:00 a.m. in English and at 12 noon in Greek (1 euro special admission fee). For group reservations (more than 10 persons) a telephone booking is required on +30 210 9000903. Bookings can be made Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..

Concert at Athens Panathinaiko Stadium to fund new Delos museum
The new archaeological museum of Delos will be 'built' through voices of Greek and foreign artists, during the grand performance of July 2 in the Panathinaiko Stadium. The concert is being organized by the International Foundation for Greece (IFG). Proceeds will be donated for the building of the new Delos Museum, the design and study of which has been undertaken by the aforementioned Foundation.

The stage will play host to the following: Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Dimitra Galani, Alexandra Gravas, El Q, Luz Casal, Marc Lavoine, Lavrentis Mahairitsas, Yorgos Mihail – Alexandros Iakovou, Panos Mouzourakis, Nana Moushouri, Maria Nazionale, Yorgos Dalaras, Lambert Wilson, Vasilis Papakonstantinou, Dimitra Papiou, Yorgos Perris, Nikos Portokaloglou, Alkistis Protopsalti, Marios Frangoulis, Yannis Haroulis and Yorgos Horafas.

The presenters of the fabulous concert will be Nikos Aliagas and Stephan Bern.