baby bronze olive sprig

height including the base: 7.5cm width: 8.5cm depth: 3.3cm

The olive was the symbol of Athena, patron goddess of the city of Athens, to whom she gave the olive as her gift. She planted the first one on the Akropolis. There is in fact an olive there today, next to the Erechtheion, the temple dedicated to Athena and her uncle Poseidon, who lost to his niece the contest to become guardian of the city.

When the Athenians returned to their city after its destruction by the Persians, the Akropolis olive tree already had a green shoot, symbolising the recovery and transformation of Athens and her citizens.

The olive appears on the famous Athenian owl coin, and is a recurrent motif in ancient Greek art, whenever Athena is depicted. Nike, the goddess of Victory, and closely associated with Athena, is often depicted with an olive wreath, which she would place on the head of a victorious athlete. An olive wreath was the prize for Olympic victors, and Herakles' club was made from the wood of an olive tree.

The bronze pieces are cast in Greece using the traditional lost wax method. As nothing is mass-produced, there will inevitably be slight variations in texture, patina, and colour. No two pieces are ever the same. If mounted on a marble base, it will be a black or very dark grey base. There may be a variation of some millimetres in the dimensions of the base from time to time.

It's All Greek is proud to have been working with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege to handle these gorgeous pieces and to sell them to customers all over the world.