Local Talent, International Ambitions: Evidence from the Roof of the Stoa in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace Pubblico

Abstract

In the 3^rd century BCE the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the northern Aegean island of Samothrace welcomed a building boom that was financed by royal and powerful persons. Among the buildings erected at this time was a monument stoa, whose patron or patrons are unknown. The local material apparent in the architecture of the Stoa suggests local craftsmanship, but the design of the architectural terracottas signals that the building community involved was interested in connecting their stoa to buildings concentrated in the eastern Aegean. The design of the sima and antefixes does not find strong comparison to other roofing decoration in the Sanctuary, but outside comparanda is more informative. The roofing components from the Stoa, particularly the antefix, connects this building to a particular design that began in the Pompeion of Athens and was repeatedly used in Aegean architecture associated with Hellenistic royalty and religious interest in the Kabeiroi. In light of these strong royal connections, I argue that this building community was interested in making international connections through its roofing decoration and I raise the question of royal investment in the Stoa. 

Table of Contents

Introduction…………………………………………………….…………………….…….……………….1

Initial Discovery………………………………………………………..…………………..……………….2

Research Method…………………………………………………………….……………..………….........3

Design and Technique………………………………………………………………………..……………..4

            Techniques of Construction…………………………………………..………………..…………..6

The Stoa’s Relationship to Other Roofs in the Sanctuary and the Ancient City……………….…………..8

            Terracotta Sima from the Neorion……………………………………………………………..…..9

            Marble Simas…………………………………………………………….……………………….10

            Marble Antefixes…………………………………………………………………………………16

Summary………………………………………………………………………………………….19

Relationship to Roofs outside the Sanctuary of the Great Gods…………………………….…………….20

Corinth……………………………………………………………………………..……………..20

            Messa, Lesbos……………………………………………………………….……..……………..21

Thasos…………………………………….………………….…………………………………...22

            Design of the Antefixes…………………………………………………………………………..23

                          The Pompeion, Athens…..………………………….……………………………………24

             Vergina/Aigai…………………………………………………………………………….25

                          Pella, House of Dionysos…………………...……………………………………………27

             Demetrias……………………………………………….……………………………….29

                          Lemnian Telesterion…………………………………………………………………….30

                          Palace I, Pergamon………………………..………………………..…………………….32

Conclusions………………………………………………………………………….……………………33

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Art History
Degree	M.A.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Architecture Art History
Parola chiave	Roof Stoa Antefix Samothrace
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Bonna D. Wescoat, Emory University
Committee Members	Susan Gagliardi, Emory University Eric Varner, Emory University

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