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Erechtheion with Original Paintwork Reconstruction. Source: Mark Cartwright / CC by NC-SA.

Why Ancient Marble Statues Aren’t Meant to Be Seen As “White” (Video)

In the world of classical art, a recent discussion emerged that thrust classicist Sarah Bond into unexpected controversy. Her focus? Ancient statues and the concept of "polychromy." Unlike the serene...
Acanthus leaves on Corinthian columns. Source: Aslan / Adobe Stock.

Acanthus: Why Old Buildings Use the Same Leaf Design (Video)

The leaf design found on old buildings, especially Corinthian columns , holds a fascinating secret. These leaves, known as acanthus leaves, are woven into the architecture, symbolizing the endurance...
This statue was originally painted. Left: Painted replica of Augustus of Prima Porta statue with pigments reconstructed for the Tarraco Viva 2014 Festival

A More Colorful Ancient World: Classical Statues Were Once Painted

Once upon a time, long before wars, natural disasters, and erosion took hold of the ancient Greek statues, these ivory gems vibrated with color. Ancient Greek sculptors valued animated and pulsating...
Theseus (center) invented wrestling

The Real Reason That Men in Classical Portrayals Were Given Small Manhoods

Today, bigger is widely regarded as better. But was this always the case? This article sheds some light on how the Western culture changed in its phallic preferences. Over the past few decades,...
The Celsus Library: 20,000 Scrolls Lost to History but Its Striking Architecture Remains

The Celsus Library: 20,000 Scrolls Lost to History but Its Striking Architecture Remains

Across the Greco-Roman world, there were many collections of scrolls, some kept by private individuals in personal libraries and others stored in public libraries such as the Great Library of...
The ruins of a classical Chinese garden landscape of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) uncovered at a construction site in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China.

Golden Age of Classical Chinese Gardens Revealed: Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Garden near Buddhist Monastery

The expansive ruins of an ancient Buddhist garden from the Tang Dynasty have been uncovered by archaeologists working in Sichuan province, China. The tiered garden, undoubtedly glorious in its time,...