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mini bronze Athena with her owl of Athens
£50.00
A delightful miniature. Stylised, elegant, with intricate decoration, standing on her own integrated bronze base. The rim of her shield is decorated with a band of Greek key meandros motifs. At its centre, and olive wreath surrounds the name of the goddess, ?????. Height: 14cm
quantity
about the bronzes in this collection
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 so grateful and so proud to have been working closely with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege and a joy to handle, live with, and photograph these gorgeous pieces and to pass them on to customers all over the world. |
about Athena
Athena, daughter of Zeus, was the goddess of intelligence, wisdom, resourcefulness and strategic thought. She was also the protectress of women and of female crafts such as weaving.
Zeus discovered that Metis, the goddess of intelligence, was pregnant with his child. Fearing that the child would be superior to him, he turned Metis into a fly, and swallowed her. Nine months later, Zeus had a terrible migraine, and summoned his son Hephaistos, who promptly took his axe, cut open Zeus' head, and out popped baby Athena. His brainchild. Fully formed in miniature, and armed for combat, with her helmet, shield, and spear. With her father, she later shared the aegis, the snake-fringed cloak with the image of the head of Medusa in its centre, after Athena had helped Jason to decapitate her.
Following a contest with her uncle, Poseidon, she became the patron goddess of Athens, to which she gave her name and the gift of the olive. Athena (also Athene) favoured the heroes Herakles, Jason, Achilles, Perseus and Odysseus, and was associated with Nike, the winged goddess of achievement and victory.
Her symbols are the owl and the olive.
about the owl
Symbol of Athena, who was the goddess of wisdom, intelligence and resourcefulness. She was also the patron deity of Athens, the city to which she gave her name and the gift of the olive.
The owl was frequently depicted in the art and coinage of the city, especially from the 6th century BCE onwards.