DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26205#0063
SUMMARY
The personifications of rivers, or in some case the images of river gods (since,
as has been stressed in the Introduction, it is difficult to distinguish categorically
between both meanings of representations), is one of the important icono-
graphical elements in antique art. Having developed under the influence of
religious beliefs and literature, which in turn resulted from the hydrological
conditions of the Mediterranean basin, they made their definitive entrance
in 7/6 centuries By C. into the repertoire of figural scenes, appearing among
all categories of monuments, but particularly decorating coins struck mainly
in the centres of Asia Minor, the Black Sea coast, southern Italia and Sicily.
The evolution of river personifications from zoomorphic to the
anthropomorphic images that took place in the 5th century B. C., reflected
the transition from the Archaic period (and within it from the Orientalizing
style of Greek pottery, characterized, among other things by the introduction
of fantastic creatures which influenced the earliest images of rivers) to the
Classical. During the latter period, the personifications both of abstract
notions, psychical states or ideas started to appear more and more often.
They were accompanied by geographical personifications, including the
images of seas, rivers, springs or mountains, and by geopolitical ones, created
after the Persian wars and meant to symbolize the victory of Hellas.
The images of rivers, quite stereotyped and imitating the images of the
Achelous in Archaic and Early Classical periods, acquired some individual
traits in the course of the 5th century B. C. This period also witnessed the
shift (yet no complete relinquishment) from zoomorphic images, depicting
an androcephalous bull or its protome. Through the representation of masks
or human heads adorned with horns, Greek artists attained antropomorphic
images, entirely devoid of animal traits.
Two basic types of representations then came into being: a standing or
reclining figure, which from about 300 B. C. was augmented by the third
type — that of a figure swimming or floating among waves.
The personifications of rivers, or in some case the images of river gods (since,
as has been stressed in the Introduction, it is difficult to distinguish categorically
between both meanings of representations), is one of the important icono-
graphical elements in antique art. Having developed under the influence of
religious beliefs and literature, which in turn resulted from the hydrological
conditions of the Mediterranean basin, they made their definitive entrance
in 7/6 centuries By C. into the repertoire of figural scenes, appearing among
all categories of monuments, but particularly decorating coins struck mainly
in the centres of Asia Minor, the Black Sea coast, southern Italia and Sicily.
The evolution of river personifications from zoomorphic to the
anthropomorphic images that took place in the 5th century B. C., reflected
the transition from the Archaic period (and within it from the Orientalizing
style of Greek pottery, characterized, among other things by the introduction
of fantastic creatures which influenced the earliest images of rivers) to the
Classical. During the latter period, the personifications both of abstract
notions, psychical states or ideas started to appear more and more often.
They were accompanied by geographical personifications, including the
images of seas, rivers, springs or mountains, and by geopolitical ones, created
after the Persian wars and meant to symbolize the victory of Hellas.
The images of rivers, quite stereotyped and imitating the images of the
Achelous in Archaic and Early Classical periods, acquired some individual
traits in the course of the 5th century B. C. This period also witnessed the
shift (yet no complete relinquishment) from zoomorphic images, depicting
an androcephalous bull or its protome. Through the representation of masks
or human heads adorned with horns, Greek artists attained antropomorphic
images, entirely devoid of animal traits.
Two basic types of representations then came into being: a standing or
reclining figure, which from about 300 B. C. was augmented by the third
type — that of a figure swimming or floating among waves.