A Human Narrative in the Metopes from the Temple of Zeus at Olympia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 5-2004 A human narrative in the metopes from the temple of Zeus at Olympia. Amanda Beth Crecelius Ott 1980- University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Recommended Citation Ott, Amanda Beth Crecelius 1980-, "A human narrative in the metopes from the temple of Zeus at Olympia." (2004). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1085. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/1085 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A HUMAN NARRATIVE IN THE METOPES FROM THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS AT OLYMPIA By Amanda Beth Crecelius Ott B.A., Hanover College, 2002 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Louisville In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Masters of Arts Department of Fine Arts University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky May 2004 A HUMAN NARRATIVE IN THE METOPES FROM THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS AT OLYMPIA By Amanda Beth Crecelius Ott B.A., Hanover College, 2002 A Thesis Approved on April 12, 2004 by the following Thesis Committee: Thesis Director 11 DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my husband, Joel Ott and my parents, Mr. Rick Crecelius and Mrs. Ann Crecelius who has given me unending support throughout my educational career. ill ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my professor, Dr. Linda Gigante, for her unending patience and guidance. I would also like to thank the other committee members, Dr. Robin Rhodes for his guidance at the start of this thesis and Dr. Ben Haufbauer, for his comments and assistance. I would also like to express my thanks to my husband, Joey, and parents for their continued patience and confidence. IV ABSTRACT A HUMAN NARRATIVE IN THE METOPES FROM THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS AT OLYMPIA Amanda B. Crecelius Ott May 8,2004 Built during the Early Classical period, the Temple of Zeus at Olympia and its sculptural program presented many new ideas in Greek society. I will argue that the Temple, in particular its metopes depicting the twelve Labors ofHerakles, exemplified the humanization of the Greek hero and illustrated the increasingly personal nature of Greek religion following the Persian War. I will first discuss the history of Olympia and the Altis, especially in relation to the celebration of the Olympic Games. I will then describe the Temple of Zeus and its sculptural program. The sculptures, in particular the metopes, will be considered in the larger context of the important developments in Greek religion following the victories over the Persians. I will argue that the metopes should be considered as one of the first architectural forms which connect man and gods in a personal, human way. v TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................ .iv ABSTRACT .........................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................. vii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 1 II. THE SANCTUARY OF ZEUS AT OLYMPIA .............................. .3 III. THE SCULPTURAL PROGRAMS OF THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS ...... .l3 IV. THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS IN ITS CULTURAL CONTEXT ................29 V. CONCLUSION ....................................................................42 SOURCE OF FIGURES ........................................................................... 44 FIGURES .............................................................................................45 REFERENCES ...................................................................................... 57 CURRICULUM VITAE ............................................................................60 vi LIST OF FIGURES FIGURES PAGE 1. Map of the Altis ..................................................................... 45 2. Plan of the Temple of Zeus ........................................................ .46 3. Colossal Statue ofZeus............................................................ .47 4. East and West Pediments ofthe Temple ofZeus ............................... .48 5. Twelve Metopes from the Temple ofZeus...................................... .49 6. Nemean Lion Metope ............................................................... 50 7. Stymphalian Birds Metope ......................................................... 51 8. Herakles as an Archer on the Aphaia Temple at Aegina ........................ 52 9. Apples ofHesperides Metope ...................................................... 53 10. Metope ofHerakles at Selinus on Temple C .....................................54 11. Attic Black-figure amphora from Vulci. .......................................... 55 12. Attic Red-figure Pelike from Cerveteri ........................................... .56 Vll A Human Narrative in tbe Metopes from tbe Temple of Zeus at Olympia INTRODUCTION In Early Classical Greece, a critical moment was embodied within an architectural form, the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. Built during a pivotal time in Greek history, the Temple of Zeus and its sculptural program presented many new ideas in Greek society. In this thesis I will argue that the Temple of Zeus, in particular its metopal depiction of Herakles, exemplified the humanization of the Greek hero and illustrated the increasingly personal nature of Greek religion following the Persian War. The topic of this thesis came from a course in Greek architecture, offered by Professor Robin Rhodes in the spring semester of2003. His book, Architecture and Meaning on the Athenian Acropolis, has been of great influence on the ideas presented in this thesis. Professor Rhodes' analysis of pedimental sculpture shed light on my discussion of the visual impact of the Olympia metopes. Professor Rhodes relates the movement of a religious procession through a building to the iconography of temple sculpture. From his idea of viewing the pediments came my interest in the viewing ofthe metopes at Olympia. In this paper, I will first discuss the history of Olympia and the Altis especially in relation to the celebration of the Olympic Games. I will then describe the Temple of 1 Zeus itself and, in particular, its sculptural program. Finally, the sculptures from the Temple of Zeus, in particular the metopes, will be considered in the larger context of the important developments in Greek religion following the victories over the Persians. I will argue that the metopes should be considered as one of the first architectural forms which connect man and gods in a personal and human way. 2 CHAPTER I THE SANCTUARY OF ZEUS AT OLYMPIA In order to fully understand the experience of an ancient Greek viewing the Temple of Zeus, one must first understand the long history of this important Greek sanctuary. This chapter, which is limited to the period of the Temple's construction in the fifth century B.C., begins with a briefhistory of the site and a description of some of the buildings, the sacred sanctuary (Altis), and their functions. I will then focus on the Temple of Zeus, whose construction was the most important building program in the Early Classical period. Excavations of the site and Temple, which allowed archaeologists to understand more about Olympia, are also briefly considered. HISTORY OF OLYMPIA AND MT. KRONOS Built near the Hill ofKronos, the site of Olympia had a rich history in Greek culture (Fig. 1). The Olympian Altis on the side of Hill ofKronos denoted the area surrounding the sanctuary. Located in the Peloponnese, Olympia was accessible to most all of Greece, including the colonies in southern Italy and Sicily. The Sanctuary is located approximately a mile or two east of Pi sa, with Elis about twenty miles north. With the Gulf of Corinth situated near Olympia, travel to Olympia by ship was uncomplicated and Olympia falls just a few miles from the coast. 3 The earliest settlements at Olympia have been discovered dating as early as 2800 B.C. or the Early Helladic period. l By the late Bronze Age, Olympia had been established as a sacred space, for archaeologists have excavated the ruins of six hairpin megarons built by the Mycenaeans. 2 Little is known about these early structures compared to our knowledge oflater sacred spaces. From the physical evidence of the megarons, archaeologists have proposed that the Altis at Olympia had been a sacred place or temenos since at least 1500 B.C. 3 By the time the Temple of Zeus was built, the temenos had already been established as a sacred space for almost two thousand years. By 1500 B.C., cults at Olympia included worship of several gods such as Kronos (the father of Zeus), Rhea, Gaia, Eileithyia, Themis, and Herakles.4 Evidence of these cults can be found in shrines, which where built for their worship below Mt. Kronos. 5 Atop Mt. Kronos was the place where the Greeks worshipped Kronos. Survival of the Olympia Altis depended upon the belief that the land was sacred, belonging first and foremost to the gods rather than to the specific humans who inhabited