Antikythera Youth In Ancient Greece

The Archaic period of ancient Greece gave rise to the formation of a Greek identity and provided the foundation for later period’s belief in Greek superiority over her neighbors. In Athens the Solonian reforms, Peisistratid tyranny, and the reforms of Kleisthenes all led to the rise of a democratic Athens (Bintliff 2012; 237, 240). During this time, the Persian empire expanded into Ionia and made excursions into Thrace, the region to the north-east of Greece. During the Ionian revolt against Persia, Athens and Eritrea sent military aid (which proved ineffective, as retaliation for the meddling in internal Persian affairs a Persian fleet and army destroyed Eritrea. The Athenian stood their ground on the shore of Attica, defeated the Persian

The best bronzes that have been found have all been recently discovered and recovered from ancient shipwrecks.The Antikythera Youth was recovered from the same shipwreck as the Antikythera device. The basics features of Classical Idealist sculpture is rooted in simplicity of form and the illusion of movement. Unlike the Sounion Kouros and Archaic sculpture, which all had a stiff fixed form, Classical Idealist statues were open (Briers 1980; 214). The simplified bodily features are evident in the static anatomy of Classical sculpture, as muscles are not shown to be expanding or contracting (Briers 1980; 216) Movement is alluded to by the positioning of the arms and the contrapposto stance, often with one leg placed back at an angle balanced on the toes (Briers 1980; 223). By positioning the leg this was the entire body is moved slightly angling the hips all the way up to the shoulders and neck. While there is not direct movement of the sculpture, this contrapposto stance gives the illusion of movement. Like the body, the face of these sculptures followed specific guidelines the style taking its name after the sculpture Phidias. The Phidian face as it is called shows no emotion, always portrayed in a stoic and calm rendering, a flat forehead flows down to the nose with no bridge (Briers 1980 216, 218-219). All of these features of Classical Idealism are present on the Antikythera Youth, creating a sculpture that may not be realistic, but a sculpture that captures the eye and peaks one’s