Google Docs: The Piraeus Lion
I just had to try this Google service - Google Documents.
I just had to try this Google service - Google Documents.
Posted by Martin Klasch 1 comments
Labels: google, Google Documents, graffiti, greece, history, lindworm, lion, piraeus, runes, scandinavian, sculpture, street art, the piraeus lion, varangians, venice, vikings, vintage
The Piraeus Lion "...was originally located in Piraeus, the ancient harbour of Athens (Greece). It was looted by Venetian naval commander Francesco Morosini in 1687 as plunder taken in the Great Turkish War against the Ottoman Empire..." / "The lion was a famous landmark in Piraeus, having stood there since the first or second century AD."
"The statue, which is made of white marble and stands some 3 m (9 ft) high, is particularly noteworthy for having been defaced some time in the second half of the 11th century by Scandinavians who carved two lengthy runic inscriptions into the shoulders and flanks of the lion. The runes are carved in the shape of an elaborate lindworm dragon-headed scroll, in much the same style as on rune stones in Scandinavia. The carvers of the runes were almost certainly Varangians(*), Scandinavian mercenaries in the service of the Byzantine Emperor who had been sent to Greece to put down a revolt by the local people."
"The inscriptions were not recognised as runes until the Swedish diplomat Johan David Åkerblad identified them at the end of the 18th century." / "The inscriptions are heavily eroded due to weathering and air pollution..." / "This has required translators to reconstruct some of the runes, filling in the blanks to determine what words they represented."
"Erik Brate's interpetation from 1914 is considered to be the most successful one.":
Posted by Martin Klasch 0 comments
Labels: graffiti, greece, history, lindworm, lion, piraeus, runes, scandinavian, sculpture, street art, the piraeus lion, varangians, venice, vikings, vintage