Greece

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Art History

A Friendly Octopus Found Within Ancient River Pebble Mosaics in Greece

Photos: Ephorate of Antiquities of Arta

Pebble mosaics dating from the 4th century BC have been unearthed in Arta, Greece. During excavations at the Small Theatre of Ancient Amvrakia, the floor of a 12-foot wide bathhouse was revealed. Archaeologists discovered carefully laid mosaics of swans, octopuses, and winged cherubic figures  surrounded by a spiral border. Each design was formed using smooth river pebbles in white, off-white, and dark tones, with amber and red pebbles acting as accents. The dig was conducted by the Ephorate of Antiquities, in the town of Arta, which has been occupied on and off since ancient times.

According to Archeology News Network, “the pebble floor is linked with a similar one located in an earlier excavation in the 70s and partly covered by the east part of the Small Theatre’s koilon/auditorium. This pebble floor had been removed from the site during the 1976 excavations. It depicts similar scenes with flying cupids, swans and dolphins and at present is in the storerooms of the Archaeological Museum of Arta.” (via The History Blog)

Art History

An Astonishingly Small Stone Carving That Has the Power to Change Art History

The Pylos Combat Agate, an intricately carved 3,500-year-old sealstone discovered in a the tomb of a Greek warrior. All images courtesy of The Department of Classics, University of Cincinnati

More than two years ago researchers from the University of Cincinnati unearthed a 3,500-year-old tomb in the southwest of Greece. The tomb belonged to a Bronze Age warrior nicknamed the “Griffin Warrior,” and contained many treasures, such as four gold signet rings, that have challenged previous notions about the origins of Greek civilization.

Perhaps one of the most important and visually captivating finds from the tomb occurred a full year after its discovery. Researchers uncovered a carved sealstone no larger than an inch and a half wide. The “Pylos Combat Agate” meticulously displays two warriors engaged in battle with bodies strewn at their feet, with some details less than a millimeter wide. The carving is perhaps most astonishing because it predates artistic skills that were not associated with Greek civilization for another millennium.

“What is fascinating is that the representation of the human body is at a level of detail and musculature that one doesn’t find again until the classical period of Greek art 1,000 years later,” said Jack Davis, Carl W. Blegen professor of Greek archaeology at the University of Cincinnati in UC Magazine. “It’s a spectacular find.”

Photography

Surreal Aerial Views of Fish Farms Captured by Bernhard Lang

Flying in a helicopter high above the coast of Greece, German photographer Bernhard Lang captures unusual networks of circular fish farms. The strange, ovoid enclosures appear like abstract geometric designs, hardly related to the thriving ecosystems of fish that lay just below the surface. Aquaculture is seen by many as a more efficient way to safely breed larger volumes of fish instead of harvesting wild populations, but concerns about the environmental impact near farming sites have raised a lot of questions.

“Greece’s aquaculture industry is important for the country,” Lang shares with Colossal. “Especially [because of] the bad economic situation in Greece. Fish, mainly sea bass and sea bream is one of their biggest agricultural exports, next to olive oil.” That said, fish prices have fallen sharply in recent years, further threatening a burgeoning industry.

Lang is known for his aerial studies of industry, wildlife, and landscapes around the world including a recent series of harbors in the Philippines and a colorful collection of beach umbrellas in the Italian resort town of Adria. You can follow more of his recent photography on Behance and Instagram.

Art

A Pair of Window Shades Overlook Greece by ‘Achilles’

What perfect placement for this quick spray piece by graffiti artist Achilles (previously) seen in his native Greece earlier this year. You can follow more of his street art on Instagram and Facebook. (via StreetArtNews)

Art Photography

Serene Photographs of Isolated Landscapes and Lone Animals by Petros Koublis

Subtly influenced by Greek mythology, photographer Petros Koublis waits for scenes to unfold rather than push preconceived concepts onto the natural environments that surround him. This patience gives him access to moments of complete serenity on the outskirts of Athens, snapshots of wheat being pushed softly by the wind and singular animals caught by chance in the center of the frame.

“It’s all a matter of openness, letting everything flow through my soul undisturbed,” Koublis told Colossal about his process. “The olive groves, the pine forests, the sea, or even the peacefully grazing animals in the meadows—they’re all part of a very intimate experience with nature. They are part of us on an emotional level that goes beyond our present state as it reaches back to a forgotten memory of our origin.”

The Greek photographer does not attempt to transform his subjects but allows them to alter his own approach to each image. Beginning his artistic practice originally as a painter, Koublis began to explore the medium of photography in 2000, studying in Athens, Greece. Koublis’s first photobook INLANDS was published early last year by Black Mountain Books. You can keep updated on his photography on his Facebook page here.

Design

A Perpetual Sisyphus Kinetic Sculpture Built with Lego

Jason Allemann of JK Brickworks designed this superb perpetual kinetic sculpture depicting the Greek myth of Sisyphus who was condemned to roll an immense boulder up a hill for eternity. In the video below he explains how the device works in detail, and for the more engineering-minded you can download a building guide and parts list from his website.