12. HELLENISATION IN IBERIA?: THE RECEPTION OF GREEK PRODUCTS AND INFLUENCES BY THE IBERIANS

Adolfo J. Dominguez

Eran los elegantes de Sagunto, j6venes ricos que imitaban las modas de la aristocracia de Atenas, exageradas por la distancia y la falta de gusto. Acte6n tambien ri6 con su fina sonrisa de ateniense al apreciar la torpeza con que aquellos j6venes copiaban a sus lejanos modelos. Vicente Blasco Ibanez, S6nica la Cortesana ( l 90 l ).

I . Introduction

In recent scholarly literature we read, perhaps too often, words such as 'Hellenisation', which can be interpreted in many different ways, according to the user and the message he wants to convey. The problem is not new. And it continues being a classic on Hellenisa• tion Gallini's work (I 973, I 75-19 l ). I shall not deal here with a con• ceptual analysis of this word, nor even make an exhaustive review of all the elements susceptible to being interpreted from the point of view of Hellenisation within Iberia; on the contrary, my main purpose is to put fmward some data related to how Hellenic influences penetrated the Peninsula. In the first place, I must mention some basic questions. Greek presence in Iberia can be traced perhaps from the second half of the 7th century B.C. in the Atlantic regions, especially in the Huelva area, which is undoubtedly related to the Tartessian world. At more or less the same time, or a little later, this Greek presence could be observed in competition with other elements (Etruscans, Phoenicians) in the north-eastern regions of Iberia. In about 600 B.C. the Greek city of Emporion was founded, on the then island of San Martin de Arnpurias. From the last third of the 6th century B.C. Greek presence in Huelva seems to diminish, while it increased in south-eastern Iberia. This situation continued through a good part of the 5th century B.C., after the transformation of Arnpurias in the 302 A.J. DOMINGUEZ true centre of the Iberian Greeks. From the 4th century B.C. their presence was diluted within a rapidly changing world in which other peoples, mainly the Punics, began to reinforce their presence (Domin• guez 1991, 109-161; 1996).

2. Main Cultural Manifestations ef Hellenic lrifluence in Iberia

Throughout more than two centuries of Greek presence and trade in Iberia, Hellenic cultural influences can be seen in a great variety of contexts. In the next pages I shall analyse some displays of art and craftsmanship of native Iberians in which some Hellenic influences can be observed. I shall also attempt to show which of these influences have been manifested and how they have emerged.

2.1. Sculpture There is no doubt that sculpture is one of the most remarkable fea• tures of Iberian culture. Its beginnings perhaps lay in the late 6th century B.C., with clearly Orientalising prototypes (the case of Pozo Moro continues being remarkable) (Almagro-Gorbea 1983, 177-193); from as early as the 5th century B.C. it began to assume features showing a change of orientation, on that occasion towards Hellenic models. In relation to this, I would like to clarify some points. In some recent literature, Phocaeans have been made responsible for the intro• duction of sculpture into Iberian culture (Blazquez and Gonzalez 1985, 61-69; 1988, 1-14), provoking some reactions, in part justified and, in part, overdone. Among the latter, I will quote W. Trillmich's conclusions:

it is necessaiy to acknowledge that Iberian sculpture is sculpture of the Iberians, who adopted from the Greeks, and others, what they wanted and when they felt like it, maintaining their cultural, ideological, and artistic independence, just as they maintained their political independ• ence in the so-called Phocaean colonisation of Spain ( 1990, 611 ). These conclusions are the result of the analysis of three cases: Pozo Moro, Obulco (Porcuna) and Baza. Trillmich's arguments, also par• tially accepted by Niemeyer ( 1988-90, 260-306; 1990, 29-53), tend towards accepting that Iberian sculptors adopted elements from the Greek repertory, but adapted them to their own needs.