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1. Plants in Ancient Greek Art 2022-2023

2. Contents Introduction Plants in Ancient Greek Poetry Plants in Ancient Greek Vases Plants in Ancient Greek Murals Epilogue

3.     Plants, herbs, and flowers have always been an important part of our everyday lives, mostly through medicine and food. Greece can be considered as one of the countries with the most herbal and plant production in Europe, since it has a great tradition throughout the years. But have you ever wondered when these traditions have their roots from? In this presentation, let us explain how flowers and plants in ancient Greece inspired artists in poetry, fiction and pottery . Introduction Garden of Hesperides

4. Pl ANTS IN ANCIENT GREEK POETRY

5. Plants in Ancient Greek Poetry • Plants are often mentioned in poems by ancient Greek artists and occupy a place in the structure of the poems. • Ancient Greek poets and rhapsodists use plants in their poems to show or symbolize something, such as peace, freedom, healing and many other characteristic symbols Ancient Greek Poet

6. Plants in Homer’s Poems • Reference to plants is made in Homer's world-famous epic poem, the  Odyssey; • Plants are mentioned in the rhapsody 11 in verses 235-236, where the witch Circe bewitches the  unsuspecting companions of Odysseus  with a magical herb poison so that they forget their homeland. • Reference is also made to verses 287- 292 where the god Hermes offers an herb to Odysseus so that he will not be bewitched by Circe like his companions. • This indicates that for the ancient Greeks, plants acted as a cure against diseases, and patients were treated with special plants. It also confirms the theory that plants have healing properties. Witch Circe with a cup filled with a herb poison

7. Pl ANTS IN ANCIENT GREEK VESSELS

8. Plants in Ancient Greek V essels • The ancient Greeks decorated their v essels with plant patterns throughout the Ancient Greek Civilization. •   During the Minoan Civilization in Crete (3000 BC – 1200 BC), vessels of extraordinary beauty have been preserved with representations of olive branches, laurel and crocus flowers.                The prince with the lilies,  Minoan Civilization Zakros’s jug, Minoan Civilization Water jug (Hydria), Minoan Civilization

9. Plants in Ancient Greek V essels • In the Mycenaean (1700 BC – 1100 BC) and Cycladic (3200 BC – 1100 BC) Civilizations, v es se l s were usually decorated with crocuses, lilies and ivy leaves. • During the Classical era (480 BC – 323 BC) plants either were the main theme or they complement the black-figure and red-figure v essel s.  Beak-like jug, Mycenaean Civilization   Cycladic  Civilisation   Red-figure vessel Classical Era Black-figure jug, Classical Era

10. Pl ANTS IN ANCIENT GREEK MURALS

11. Plants in Ancient Greek Murals • Plants , due to the fact that they meant a lot to the ancient Greeks were also depicted in murals . • In particular, such murals   have been found in Knossos and especially in Thira. • Their lifespan dates back roughly to the Bronze Age (3000-1100 BC) when the Minoan and Cycladic civilizations  were at their peak. • In later years, the construction of murals with plants continued. However, no mural has been found as proof because they were all done on wood and with the passage of time they wore out. Mural of bronze age in Santorini   - Cycladic civiliation

12. The Mural  of Spring • The most characteristic example of a mural with plants from ancient Greece is the Mural of Spring. • It is a unique mural which was found almost intact in its place adorning three walls of the same room. • The mural depicts the rocky landscape of Thira shortly before the eruption of the volcano. • The tops and slopes of the rocks are covered with red blooming lilies with yellow stamens. Lilies grow in threes from the red and gray volcanic rocks. The swallows that are alone  or in pairs and flirt  in the air, give movement to the landscape and symbolically depict the rebirth of nature. This particular photo is the first  photo of  the mural when the space it adorned was discovered. You can see  yourselves how well-kept it is and all the features we mentioned above.

13. Pl ANTS IN ANCIENT GREEK SCULPTURING

14. Plants in Ancient Greek Sculpturing The ancient Corinthians developed the Corinthian Order, specifically a style of temple architecture characterized by the elaborate capitals of the pillars. It was mainly used in the Roman times and a well-known building erected based on the Corinthian Order is the Library of Hadrian. There were various plants represented on the capitals. The plant which originally inspired the sculptures was the acanthus and gradually some more plants were added. Corinthian Order Capital The Acanthus

15. Plants as Ancient Greek Pigments In ancient Greece, but also until today, the production of colors was done with plants. Some dyestuffs from plants are the crocus, which is well-known across the world, and produces ochre hues, madder producing red colors, isatis producing blue dyes and orchil, a species of lichen that produces a variety of colors from rose to blue. Worth mentioning is that used all these paints to decorate their temples and vessels. This meant that plants were very important in ancient Greece and were not only used as inspiration but also as vivid and flamboyant colors. The Crocus The Madder The Isotis

16.    Nature's beauty and uniqueness certainly were great inspiration for the ancient Greeks. The use of herbs was widely spread in the ancient era and indcated a connection between humans and the earth and nature. Ancient Greek findings we meet in museums and texts written by ancient poets, philosophers, doctors and researchers illustrate the important role of plants in most aspects of their daily lives. This is documented from sources such as Homer's epics and references to Hippocrates, Dioscorides (ancient Greek doctors), Socrates, who drunk the hemlock (an herbal poison) and Plato. Epilogue

17. Sources: Monro , D. B. (1886).  Homer's Odyssey  (Vol. 1). Clarendon Press. Ι n the neighbourhood of Aromatic and Seasoning Plants ,(2014). Ελληνική Εταιρία Προστασίας της Φύσης και συγγραφείς . A υτοέκδοση .   Ι n the neighbourhood of Aromatic and Seasoning Plants (2) ,( 2014). Ελληνική Εταιρία Προστασίας της Φύσης και συγγραφείς . A υτοέκδοση .   Papantoniou , N., Hapsa , F., Massostasis , A., Dounias, K., & Langos , S. National Archaeological Museum. MARKETING, 1009, 7PS. Jones, M. W. (1991). Designing the roman corinthian capital. Papers of the British School at Rome, 59, 89-151.

18. Working Group Ioannou Eleni Karampini Anastasia Sismanidis Konstantinos Spanos   Konstantinos Spanos   Dimitris Zournatzi Ioanna Thank you for your attention!