The Metopes of the Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassai

New Discoveries and Interpretations

Peter Higgs (Author)

Series: Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies Supplements

Published in association with: Institute of Classical Studies

This major book brings together for the first time all of the fragments of sculpture which formed the metopes from the Temple of Apollo at Bassai. Recent research by the author and colleagues has yielded fresh discoveries in the British Museum, Athens and at the ancient site itself. Further sculptural fragments have been added to this marble jigsaw puzzle, making new joins possible and connections viable, which has greatly enhanced knowledge about the appearance and subject matter of the metopes from this famous temple. The interior frieze of the temple is much better known among scholars and the general public, but the metopes have been neglected with only one full publication including an analysis of the fragments of sculpture as part of a broader text.

The first section of the book deals with the discovery of the temple, previous scholarship, and introduces some significant and exciting new archival material never published before. The body of the book is made up of a catalogue of all fragments from the metopes, followed by a series of early drawings and artistic interpretations. The final part discusses possible subject matter, placing the sculptures into a wider artistic, cultural and social context. The book is illustrated extensively with new photographs of all the sculptures, early drawings and original reconstruction drawings.

Method summary Introduction
Part I The discovery of the sculptures from the temple and early publications
Part II Previous scholarship on the composition and subject matter of the metopes the late nineteenth century to the present day
Part III Catalogue of sculpture fragments and drawings of the metopes Part IV Interpretation and evaluation
Bibliography

Paperback: 9781914477416 / 245mm x 175mm

Peter Higgs (Author)

Peter John Higgs is a specialist in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and has been a curator at the British Museum since 1993 after receiving a degree and doctorate from the University of Liverpool. His interest in ancient Greek sculpture has generated many exhibitions and accompanying catalogues, articles and papers. He has also researched and published on major architectural sculptures, particularly from the Nereid Monument, the Mausoleum at Halikarnassos and the coffers from the temple of Athena Polias at Priene. He is currently working on the sculpture from the later temple of Artemis at Ephesos. The symbiosis between antiquarian archives, the discovery of monuments and ancient sites and the physical remains is of particular interest to the author. Paramount is the challenge and dilemma of how ancient sculpture can be presented to the widest possible audience through different displays, social media and publications both real and digital.

Subject: Classical Art and Architecture, Classical Studies

BISAC codes: ARC005020, ART015060, FOR033000, HIS002010

Thema codes: NKDS, NKX

Keywords: ancient Greek, ancient religion, archaeology, ruins