Author Description

This detailed and specialised analysis of archaic and classical votive tablets from the Athenian acropolis is based upon a catalogue of 285 examples. These ceramic tablets, which include offerings from Athens' environs and further afield in mainland Greece, depict mythological scenes which normally, not surprisingly, present the story of the goddess Athena and the birth of Athens. Referring to the catalogue throughout, the concise study discusses the origins of votive tablets, their use through the archaic and classical periods, their mythological scenes, the depiction of gods and goddesses other than Athena, examples of eroticism or other scenes, and their place within the everyday religion and beliefs of Athenians and Greeks. German text.