Representations of Athena in black-figured amphorae of the sixth century BCE: an exercise of iconographic

Abstract

This paper presents the main results and reflections obtained from an exercise of iconographic description and iconological analysis proposed for a small set of black-figure amphorae dating from the sixth century BC. This has as its central theme the iconographical representations of the goddess Athena depicted on one or on both sides of the vase, in order to understand them through the relationship with the other iconographic themes and characters on the scenes displayed on the amphorae.The methodology and purposes of this research include the study, classification, iconographic description and iconological analysis of this type of archaeological record selected, which means, the pottery and the black-figure representations of Athena, comparing it to some literary excerpts. Our aim, therefore, is to reflect and discuss the possible roles and attributes of the goddess as a male and a female figure. The results obtained from this analysis indicate complementary aspects in the attributes of the divinity that characterize her with qualifications of the male and the female worlds of the Athenian society of the Archaic Period, allowing her to move between both spaces.