Kerameikos Museum

Leaving the Kerameikos cemetery, we went to the ceramics museum close by. It was small but showed some fine examples of Ancient Greek ceramics.

It showed not only amphoras and ritual vessels, but also toys as gifts for deceased children. Remember that child mortality was much higher back then! Of course they tried to use the techniques and medicine they got (with famous doctors such as Hippocrates and Galen being at the beginning of medicine), but it was still difficult. At least weak children were not thrown down a ravine as done in Sparta or rejected by their fathers as done in Rome!

Here we see a mixture of geometrical and natural shapes (grazing horses?) and again the swastika - the oriental symbol of the sun.

These sculptures were holders for offerings such as food and wine that were made to the dead and the gods to appease their spirits and grant a safe afterlife. We see a sphinx ad some women as figures.

This surprisingly intact collection of black-figure vases shows not only mythical scenes, but also everyday life. Their style is entirely classical (although the greenish colour to the bottom right is uncommon).

Ah, you actually read this whole post until the end? Fine, here is your reward: A red-figure vessel with sexual motives, apparently a youth and a slightly older, mature woman. MILFs, anyone? It seems to be a recurring theme ... as souvenirs, you could buy cups, shirts and cards with these motives. I actually won a souvenir contest with one of these. the "Greek lovers" will remain in my memory as an unexpected motive. Imagine the scandal of similar art today, even though today seems to be much more saturated with sexual references in advertising, games, stories and movies for example. After this small diversion (merited after so much history), let's go back outside on the marketplace with the famous Stoa!

Photo gallery