The Lycosoura Demeter is a remnant of a colossal sculpture of

Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...

, created by the sculptor

Damophon Damophon (; fl. 2nd century BC) was an ancient Greek sculptor of the Hellenistic period from Messene, known for his many acroliths found in Messene, Megalopolis, Aegium, Lycosura and other cities of the Peloponnesus. Other cities beyond the Pelop ...

in 180 BC for the Temple of

Despoina Despoina or Despoena (; ) was the epithet of a goddess worshipped by the Eleusinian Mysteries in Ancient Greece as the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon and the sister of Arion. Surviving sources refer to her exclusively under the title ''Des ...

in the ancient city of

Lycosura Lycosura () was a city in the ancient Parrhasia (Arcadia), Parrhasia region of south Arcadia (ancient region), Arcadia said by Pausanias (geographer), Pausanias to be the oldest city in the world, although there is no evidence for its existence b ...

, now Arcadia, Greece. It is part of a mini-pantheon prominent in the city, which also includes the goddess

Artemis In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...

, the

Titan Titan most often refers to: * Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn * Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology Titan or Titans may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities Fictional locations * Titan in fiction, fictiona ...

Anytos Anytos or Anytus () was one of the Titan (mythology), Titans of Greek mythology. He was supposed to have raised Despoina, and in Arcadia during Pausanias' time the two were represented by statues in a temple near Acacesium. The Lycosoura Anyto ...

, and the goddess Desponia, the "Mistress", whose true name remains unknown, according to the historian Pausanias, who catalogued the region in his book

Description of Greece ''Description of Greece'' () is the only surviving work by the ancient "geographer" or tourist Pausanias (geographer), Pausanias (c. 110 – c. 180). Pausanias' ''Description of Greece'' comprises ten books, each of them dedicated to some ...

(Ἑλλάδος Περιήγησις, ''Hellados Periegesis''). The cult statues was believed to be about 6 meters in height, and the depiction of the deities were also documented on Roman provincial currency issued by the city of

Megalopolis A megalopolis () or a supercity, also called a megaregion, is a group of metropolitan areas which are perceived as a continuous urban area through common systems of transport, economy, resources, ecology, and so on. They are integrated enough ...

. The bust is currently housed by the National Archaeological Museum, alongside the bust of

, designated NAMA 1734.

Discovery

The city of Lycosura is 7 km west of Megalopolis, which was studied extensively in the Summer of 1889, and the turn of the century. The sanctuary of Despoina was recovered, and with it the fragments of Artemis, Anytos, the chest/robe of Despoina. The bust is an acrolith, a composite of many different materials, of which the head, hands, and feet are made of local

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

, but the chest and clothing are made of wood. The heads of Demeter, Artemis, and Anytos were transferred to the museum (as 1734, 1735, and 1736 respectively),along with a portion of Despoina's mantle (no. 1737). Torsos and arms of the figures are kept at the local Lycosura Museum.

Description

Measuring 75 cm, and unlike the statue of Artemis, whose eyes are inlaid, the Demeter's face is carved in one piece, with a veil that remains well preserved. The hair is coiffed in wavy tresses, and with it holes are carved into the head meant for the placement of a metal

diadem A diadem is a Crown (headgear), crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of Monarch, royalty. Overview The word derives from the Ancient Greek, Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", fro ...

. As a matron Demeter carries a queen-like presence and is one of the main objects of attention in the pantheon. The description from what Pausanias gathered indicated that Demeter would have held a torch in right hand and her left laying on the Despoina statue, both of whom would share a throne and a footstool made out of a block of marble. Given the nature of a Persephone

kore KORE (1050 AM) is a commercial radio station dual licensed to Springfield and Eugene, Oregon. It airs a sports radio format and is owned by KORE Broadcasting, LLC. The studios and offices are on Willagillespie Road off Oregon Route 132 in ...

found in the sanctuary nearby, the deities of the shrine are seen to be that of a

Chthonic In Greek mythology, deities referred to as chthonic () or chthonian () were gods or spirits who inhabited the underworld or existed in or under the earth, and were typically associated with death or fertility. The terms "chthonic" and "chthonian" ...

nature, a part of the

Eleusinian Mysteries The Eleusinian Mysteries () were initiations held every year for the Cult (religious practice), cult of Demeter and Persephone based at the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Eleusis in ancient Greece. They are considered the "most famous of the secret rel ...

References

{{National Archaeological Museum of Athens 2nd-century BC Greek sculptures 1889 archaeological discoveries Sculptures in Athens Marble sculptures in Greece Hellenistic art Sculptures of women in Greece National Archaeological Museum, Athens Archaeological discoveries in the Peloponnese