New Statue of Alexander from Alexandria?

[Taphoi]

Rare statue of white marble discovered in Alexandria

Zahi Hawass, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Egypt, has said that a Greek archeological mission under Calliope Papacosta discovered a rare statue made of white marble in Alexandria.

“The 80 cm long, 23 cm wide statue has been discovered eight meters deep under the earth surface,” Hawass said.

“A ribbon around the head of the statue proves that it belongs to an important person for such ribbon was used only be rulers,” he added. (I think he means a diadem as worn by my avatar.)

The facial features of the statue are much similar to that of Alexander the Great especially the nose and hair style, he further added. (ANI)

I think this was in the Shallalat Gardens. Anyone found a photo yet?

Best wishes,

Andrew

[Paralus]

First I have heard of it. Any link to to a news source?

[marcus]

Rare statue of white marble discovered in Alexandria

...

I think this was in the Shallalat Gardens. Anyone found a photo yet?

Thanks for this, Andrew. I have to say that I'm with Paralus - this is the first I've heard of it. (I have since seen that it's in Rogueclassicism - which I don't tend to look at before I've looked at Pothos!). There is a picture, albeit not a very good one - RC says it looks more like an athlete, but there are elements that could make it Alexander - although the position of the head would be unusual if it were him.

But I will be searching now for other news reports!

ATB

Marcus

[Paralus]

The 80cm-tall statue was found in very good condition and retains numerous characteristics reminiscent of statues depicting Alexander the Great...

And so Lysimachus is Alexander? Really, how "reminiscent" of Alexander does a statue need to be? Why, indeed, should it be Alexander at all?

[marcus]

And so Lysimachus is Alexander? Really, how "reminiscent" of Alexander does a statue need to be? Why, indeed, should it be Alexander at all?

Indeed! And, the more I look at it, the less it appears even reminiscent of Alexander! Maybe if the picture were better ... (taken in the dark, with the light behind it ... )

ATB

[Taphoi]

A few comments:

1) I had seen the thumbnail on the Egypt SIS site, although I am still not 100% sure that it depicts the new statue. It slightly resembles a mirror image of the Alexander-Pan at Pella. The stance resembles surviving statuettes of "Alexander with the lance". I agree that the definition is not good enough to tell very much however.

2) In mentioning the hairstyle Dr Hawass may be implying that the statue includes an anastole above the brow. The combination of an anastole with the diadem in a statue of a beardless young man from Alexandria would certainly be enough to consider Alexander as a good possibility. Schwarzenberg has suggested that most major households in Alexandria had a shrine dedicated to the city's founder with a statuette of Alexander, so there were probably more statues of Alexander in Alexandria that of any other individual.

3) Rogueclassicism is slightly inaccurate in suggesting that I have placed the tomb of Alexander in the Shallalat Gardens. In fact the Gardens are immediately outside the eastern perimeter of the ancient walls that I have suggested may be the Soma enclosure of Alexander's tomb. A surviving fragment of these (probably) Ptolemaic walls still stands on the inner edge of the Gardens - hence the confusion. It is an interesting location, however, being close to the centre of the ancient city.

4) The discovery depth of 8m is deep enough for the statue to come from the Ptolemaic era, which would make it relatively important. However, it could also be Roman.

Best wishes,

Andrew

[marcus]

2) In mentioning the hairstyle Dr Hawass may be implying that the statue includes an anastole above the brow. The combination of an anastole with the diadem in a statue of a beardless young man from Alexandria would certainly be enough to consider Alexander as a good possibility. Schwarzenberg has suggested that most major households in Alexandria had a shrine dedicated to the city's founder with a statuette of Alexander, so there were probably more statues of Alexander in Alexandria that of any other individual.

Yes, that might well be the case. The picture doesn't give us a chance of seeing whether there is an anastole. Having said that, it doesn't look to me as if the hair is long enough for there to be one.

3) Rogueclassicism is slightly inaccurate in suggesting that I have placed the tomb of Alexander in the Shallalat Gardens. In fact the Gardens are immediately outside the eastern perimeter of the ancient walls that I have suggested may be the Soma enclosure of Alexander's tomb. A surviving fragment of these (probably) Ptolemaic walls still stands on the inner edge of the Gardens - hence the confusion. It is an interesting location, however, being close to the centre of the ancient city.

No argument there - you of all people should know exactly what your theory/suggestion is!

ATB

[Fiona]

There is a better photograph here:
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/948/he2.htm
at the website of the Cairo newspaper Al-Ahram, along with a detailed description. It is still a small photo, and still hard to see the details of the head, but the hair looks too curly to me.
But whoever it is, it is an interesting find.
Fiona

[Paralus]

An incomplete Graeco-Roman statue of an athlete in Alexandria and an enormous collection of prehistoric artefacts in Fayoum are the most recent discoveries in Egypt...

I agree.

[Taphoi]

The larger image is here (may load slowly):

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/948/_he2.htm

Looks more Greek than Roman and is a very high quality piece of sculpture. The diadem and sideburns are fairly clear. There is nothing wildly inconsistent with Alexander, but not enough of the face is visible to form an opinion as to whether it actually is him.

Best wishes,

Andrew

[marcus]

Looks more Greek than Roman and is a very high quality piece of sculpture. The diadem and sideburns are fairly clear. There is nothing wildly inconsistent with Alexander, but not enough of the face is visible to form an opinion as to whether it actually is him.

Not so sure that it's more Greek than Roman, but there's still not a good enough photo showing the front of the head.

Which is the problem - to me it doesn't look enough like an Alexander statue, unless he posed for it shortly after going to the barber's for a number 2. Yes, it could be him, but it could be anybody as well.

Not convinced!

ATB

[jan]

Thanks, Fiona, for the newspaper story. I believe that it does resemble Alexander the Great also, and agree that he would be the most likely figure for Alexandrians to have owned. I thought that the image was quite good and well defined. I liked it a lot, especially the leg raised. Very fascinating find after all.

[athenas owl]

Looks more Greek than Roman and is a very high quality piece of sculpture. The diadem and sideburns are fairly clear. There is nothing wildly inconsistent with Alexander, but not enough of the face is visible to form an opinion as to whether it actually is him.

Not so sure that it's more Greek than Roman, but there's still not a good enough photo showing the front of the head.

Which is the problem - to me it doesn't look enough like an Alexander statue, unless he posed for it shortly after going to the barber's for a number 2. Yes, it could be him, but it could be anybody as well.

Not convinced!

ATB

It's frustrating that that is the only picture. Why not one of his face?

The pose reminds me of this one:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... ch_298.jpg


Or this one...possibly ATG?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... 305_n2.jpg


Nice bit of sculpture, though, whoever it turns out to be.