Wearing a battle-ready Athena on the back of one’s head is the definition of fierce fashion. Moreover, this hair ornament from the 2nd century B.C. is a forceful statement of Hellenistic wealth and technical prowess.
The central medallion with the bust of Athena has all the things: embossed egg and dart motif, rosettes rendered with granulation, spiralling tendrils, filigree palmettes, and garnet inlays. Surrounding is an intricate chain matrix which would have enclosed the wearer’s chignon, secured by a ribbon wound through the loops.
And the main event! Athena is shown in war-mode (‘promachos’) with a triple-crested helmet and her aegis (the scaly gorgon hide). Her face is serene, but all around her there is motion (somehow amplified by the insane business of the ornamental surround!). Her hair steams over her shoulder and the lateral horse-hair crests project from the helmet, while the third swirls and floats like feathers…as if the goddess has descended in a gorgeous epiphany of gold to land on the wearer’s chignon
This remarkable artefact was likely found in 1929 as part of a hoard in Thessaly (N. Greece), now displayed between the Benaki and National Archeological Museum in Athens, two medallions in the same format featuring Artemis and Aphrodite. Some days, you have to wear all the gold and all goddesses you can….
