Aphrodisias was known for its skillful sculptors throughout the Roman Empire. They took advantage of the nearby marble
quarries that provided a typical medium-grained variation of the readily
available material. Whoever drives through Asia Minor
cannot miss the often colorful patches of marble quarries that dot the
landscape.
[Picture
is from Arxaia
Ellinika]
The many
monuments excavated in Aphrodisias
expose the great craftsmanship of its builders, embellished with reliefs and
statues as testified by the latest find.
It is a nearly
perfect, colossal marble head of Zeus recovered about 50 meters west of the
famous Temple of Aphrodite. It is 66 centimeters high,
i.e., larger than life-size. The deep relief of the god’s hair and beard
indicates that the head belongs to the 2nd-3rd century AD.
At the same time, it makes Zeus’ face look more realistic.
For the history
of Aphrodisias,
please read my earlier blog, Aphrodisias,
the city of Aphrodite (Turkey).
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