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Greek Gods and a Roman Emperor Sculpture in the Beirut Central District Archaeology Project

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Greek Gods and a Roman Emperor Sculpture in the Beirut Central District Archaeology Project BABesch 79 (2004) Greek Gods and a Roman Emperor Sculpture in the Beirut Central District Archaeology Project Ans Braakenburg-van Breukelen Abstract The reconstruction of the city centre of Beirut, destroyed after years of civil war, has given archaeologists the opportunity to carry out salvaging excavations. This paper discusses five sculptures uncovered between 1995-1998. The statuettes of Aphrodite and Apollo, the heads of Dionysus and Hadrian were all found in disturbed trenches and/or secondary deposits. The Aphrodite, on exhibition in the National Museum of Beirut, dates from the 1st century BC. The Apollo and the heads of Dionysus and Hadrian were created in the 2nd century AD. The most likely context and function of the sculptures, in particular the head of Hadrian, in Hellenistic and Roman Beirut are mentioned in the summary. INTRODUCTION of glass, ceramics, gems and other precious products, and especially silk. Roman Berytus was The city centre of Beirut, destroyed and abandoned well documented in written records at the time. after years of war, has been transformed into a vast Strabo (16. 2. 19) mentions that Emperor Augustus building pit since 1994. The reconstruction of the granted the city the status of colonia in 15 BC. The central district has given archaeologists of Lebanon city plan showed a cardo maximus and a decumanus. and Europe the opportunity to carry out salvaging Josephus (Antiquitates Judaicae 3. 19. 335) writes excavations to investigate the city’s urban history. about a theatre, as well as baths, a basilica and To save Beirut’s antiquities, UNESCO organised monumental archway, temples and porticos and funded the excavations conducted by fourteen erected by king Herod Agrippa I (10 BC-AD 44). teams of different nationalities. Layers of civiliza- In the 3rd century AD, a Law School was founded tions dating back to the Bronze Age Canaanite set- that continued to be important for 300 years. A tlement provide information about the history of severe earthquake and a tidal wave destroyed the the Phoenician, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, greater part of the city in AD 551. Umayyad, Mamluk and Ottoman settlements. During building activities in the city in 1944-1945 In 1994 Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hariri estab- the French architect Jean Lauffray investigated the lished the construction company Solidere, which remains of ancient buildings and made a hypo- has been rebuilding the city centre, and which has thetical plan of Roman Beirut. Recent excavations been funding the salvaging excavations since have provided more evidence on the existence and 1995. Dr Hans H. Curvers of the Amsterdam Ar- location of the cardo maximus north (Curvers/ chaeological Centre of the University of Amsterdam Stuart 2002). There are plans for an archaeological coordinates the excavations for Solidere and the park in which the tell, the glacis, the Roman baths Department of Antiquities of Lebanon. In 1995 ar- and the Crusaders castle will be preserved. The chaeologists uncovered the ancient tell and the for- restored National Museum reopened in 1998. On tification wall, glacis, around the Phoenician city. exhibition with the objects that were saved dur- The wall had been damaged by the foundations of ing the war, is the recently discovered Aphrodite, a Crusaders castle and a 20th-century tower block. which is described in the pages below. Evidence of Phoenician domestic dwellings was As a student, I participated in the salvaging found near the souk area. During the 4th century excavation of Bey 066 (fig. 1).1 The present article BC, a Hippodamic plan of house-lined streets was discusses five sculptures uncovered between 1995 adopted. Until recently, this Hellenistic street plan and 1998. The statuettes of Aphrodite and Apollo, still existed in the souk area. the heads of Dionysus and Hadrian were all found The wealth of the Levantine cities, Beirut, Sidon, without a context - beneath the road surface, in a Tyre, Byblos and Tripoli was based upon the trade fill or as stray finds in the rubble of collapsed walls. 123 Fig. 1. Excavation Bey 066 Beirut. Photo author. APHRODITE a wall or support. One of the holes is located in the middle of the back; the other second is situ- For centuries artists from all over the Mediter- ated towards the upper right arm. There are ranean world carved sculptures inspired by the marks of a tooth chisel in the socket for the head. Classical Aphrodites of Praxiteles. One of those The lower left arm was held in position by a derivations (figs. 2, 3) was discovered in Beirut in wedge-shaped, metal dowel of about 2.5 cm long the spring of 1995 during preparatory activities of and 0.5 to 1 cm wide, but only the cavity remains. the excavation in Rue Foch ( BEY 019). The stat- The dowel was fixed horizontally in the drapery uette was found in the topsoil. above the pillar, on the spot of the elbow where the upper arm was cut out horizontally through Description the biceps and then vertically down to the elbow, forming a solid angular surface to receive the elbow The statuette represents a semi-nude Aphrodite in end of the lower arm. The socket contains traces leaning stance. It is 48 cm high and approximately of a greyish brown residue. 15 cm wide at the level of the hips. The sculpture’s weight rests on the right leg, The marble of the sculpture is white and coarse and the stance shows a strong contrapposto. The grained. left foot had either rested on a raised support or The head is lost, and a cavity between the shoul- on its toes. The lower left arm had rested on a ders shows that it had been carved separately. quadrangular pillar, while the right upper arm The cavity had not been discoloured by contact had been lifted slightly to the front. The upper with the soil, so the head may have been sepa- section of the torso is narrow and elongated. The rated from the body only recently. Both arms and breasts are smallish and high, the nipples vaguely both feet, as well as the left ankle are missing. The marked. The abdominal muscles are indicated on break of the left ankle is remarkably smooth, as if both sides of the linea alba and in the region of polished by the touch of many hands. The foot may the lower abdomen. have been lost in antiquity. The statuette was found There are subtle swellings of subcutaneous fat broken into four fragments and was repaired at the waist and below the navel. The navel is small recently. It is evident from the fresh breaks that and round, while the delta inguinalis is indicated the folds of the himation on the outside of the left by a deep V-shaped groove. The hips are broad, leg, the top of the pillar and the drapery hanging the pelvis is sharply tilted and the right hip forms down were all damaged recently. Nearly all folds a pronounced outward curve. The outline of the are lost on the outside of the leg. The lower end left side of the body is rendered in a shallow dou- of the pillar must have broken off at a much ear- ble-curve. The thighs seem fleshy. lier date. Small chips and stains of red earth are A large mantle covers the left shoulder and visible on the body, drapery and pillar. There is a upper arm and is loosely draped over the clavicula greyish discolouration on the right shoulder and and the top of the left breast. At the back the fabric thigh. There are two rectangular holes of about covers both shoulders, forming two sets of folds. 2x2 cm in the shoulders to fasten the statuette to To the lower right leg, a deep and sharp concave 124 Fig. 2. Aphrodite; Nat. Museum Beirut, Inv. 15665. Fig. 3 Aphrodite, restored; Nat. Museum Beirut, Photo H.H. Curvers. Inv. 15665. After Liban 1999, p. 171. fold with several smaller curving folds above it, end of the himation falls in vertical, tubular and while the second set falls in diagonal folds from curving zigzag folds from the pillar to the floor. both shoulders to the right hip, where it is partial- Hiding the outside of the left thigh, part of the ly folded up into a roll. The material is stretched mantle is draped from the supporting pillar to the over the right gluteus, forming a set of folds in left thigh where it disappears under the over- the shape of a three-pronged fork. The drapery hanging folds of the roll. accentuates the outlines of the right gluteus and The modelling of the figure is graceful, and the thigh. The mantle is draped in a roll around the deep diagonal folds of the drapery covering the right hip and slants downward to the left thigh, legs draw the eye to the out-swinging hip pose. ending in flat folds outside the left leg. The mate- The thighs and buttocks are rather sturdy and rial clings to the thighs, and the lower hem is form a contrast with the elongated chest and raised, uncovering the lower left leg. The fabric small breasts. covering the front right leg falls in deep diagonal The back is more superficially rendered and folds while, above them, two deep triangular folds suggests that the statuette had been intended for repeat the V-shape of the pubic zone. The other placement in a niche or set against a wall. 125 Comment The heads of the Aphrodites of Liverpool (fig. 4) and Dresden are inclined and turned to the left, The Aphrodite of Beirut leans against a pillar in and the eyes are downcast.
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