mini dramatic mask of Zeus king of the gods

Zeus, king of the gods, was the god of the sky, of thunder and the weather, justice, oaths and promises, hospitality, guests and hosts, and he was the protector of the family unit. Quite a selection!

His brothers were Poseidon, god of oceans and rivers, and Hades, god of the Underworld. His sisters were Demeter, goddess of the fertility of the earth, Hestia, goddess of the hearth, and Hera, to whom he was married and with whom he had three legitimate offspring: Hephaistos, Hebe, and Ares.

His countless sexual indiscretions, often in disguise as random showers of gold, swans, or white bulls) resulted in a vast and colourful array of other children, both mortal and divine, including the gods Athena (his 'brainchild', literally), twins Apollo and Artemis, Dionysos, Hermes, Aphrodite, and the 9 Muses. Helen of Sparta, Perseus, Herakles and Minos were also among his famous offspring.

Zeus is depicted with a luscious beard, and is often shown holding, or poised to cast, his signature thunderbolt, manufactured exclusively for him by the giant Cyclopes.

His sanctuaries include Olympia (where the Olympic Games, founded by Herakles, were held in his honour), and Nemea (where the Nemean Games were held in his honour also), two glorious sites, both in the Peloponnese, and where there are remains of magnificent temples dedicated to Zeus.

The oracle in Zeus' sanctuary in Dodona, in the shadow of Mount Tomaros in northern Greece, is rather different. The focal point of the sanctuary was (at first, anyway) the sacred oak tree (phagos) which was thought to represent the power and presence of Zeus. When the wind blew up the valley, the rustling leaves and the creaking branches were thought to represent the direct oracular voice of the god. The circle of bronze cauldrons and tripods which protected the tree made a gentle chiming sound in the breeze. The priests walked barefoot (with feet permanently unwashed) and would sleep on the ground, connected at all times to the earth's energy, so they could more easily sense these natural sounds and interpreting them for the visiting pilgrims.

When Jason was building the Argo, Athena herself travelled to Dodona, cut a piece of wood from the sacred oak, and incorporated it into the prow of the ship. Because it had come from the prophetic tree, it gave the Argo the power of human speech. During the quest for the Golden Fleece, the ship herself issued warnings about all sorts of obstacles and how to overcome them.

When Odysseus finally lands in Ithaca disguised as a beggar, he spins a yarn to his loyal swineherd, Eumaios (and later to Penelope), claiming that he has news that someone had spotted Odysseus in Dodona, 'to ask the holy oak what Zeus intended.' (Emily Wilson's 2018 translation), reminding us of how the ancient Greeks visited oracles such as this and Apollo's one in Delphi, to seek advice at crucial turning points in their lives, however cryptic and ambiguous the reply might be.

Made in Greece in the workshop of the Semitekolo family, with whom It's All Greek is proud to have been working since 1999. They also produce our bedrock bronze collection.

The material is keramin, a durable plaster polymer compound with a light ochre finish applied by hand. There may, therefore, be a slight variation in colour from piece to piece. A strong 'hook' is embedded into the keramin, so the mask is ready to hang.