Seeing the Sea: Ships' Eyes in Classical Greece

by Deborah N. Carlson

Hesperia, Volume 78, Issue 3
Page(s): 347-366
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25622699
Year: 2009
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ABSTRACT:

Excavations in the Athenian Agora have brought to light fragments of three sculpted marble eyes, or ophthalmoi, from Classical levels in and around the Tholos precinct. The discovery of similar objects at the ancient harbor of Zea, and more recently in association with a Classical Greek ship wrecked off the Aegean coast of Turkey, makes clear that all are examples of the eyes that decorated the bows of ancient Greek ships. Three hypotheses are offered to explain the presence of nautical artifacts within the Agora: they may have served as honorific fixtures relating to the fleet; represented surplus naval equipment stored in the Strategeion; or belonged to a wheeled ship used in the Anthesteria or the Greater Panathenaia festival.