Description: An analysis of the latest archaeological finds at the Greek Temple of Apollo at Bassai.
This is a major book bringing together for the first time the various fragments of sculpture that formed the metopes from the Temple of Apollo at Bassai. The frieze's metopes are now held in the British Museum, in Athens, and at the ancient site itself. Recent research by Peter Higgs and colleagues has yielded fresh discoveries at each site. Further sculptural fragments have been added to this marble jigsaw puzzle, making new connections possible, which has greatly enhanced our knowledge about the appearance and subject matter of the metopes from this famous temple. The first section of the book deals with the discovery of the temple, offers a summary of previous scholarship on the site, and introduces some significant and exciting new archival material never published before. The next section is a catalog of all fragments from the metopes. Following on from this a series of early drawings and artistic interpretations of the metopes. The final section places the sculptures into a wider artistic, cultural, and social context. The book is illustrated extensively with new photographs of all the sculptures, early drawings, and original reconstruction drawings.Brief description: Peter Higgs is a curator at the British Museum, specializing in the ancient Mediterranean cultures and history.