Head of Alexander the Great from Pergamon

Illustration

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
by
published on 12 May 2018
Head of Alexander the Great from Pergamon Download Full Size Image

This head was found during the excavations of the lower agora of Pergamon; it seems that it had fallen there from one of the buildings on the higher city. The head reveals all of the characteristic features of the sculpted heads of Alexander the Great: the drooping of the head onto the shoulder and its slight backward inclination, the great mane of hair rising from the middle of the forehead like that of a lion's mane, and its falling on both sides in uneven locks, the round eyes with heavy lids and thick eyebrows, and the slightly open mouth which does not quite reveal the teeth. The deeply furrowed forehead brings to mind the enormous problems he had already encountered although so young, and with regard to its realistic rendering, is typical of the Pergamene art of sculpture during the reign of king Eumenes II. Marble. Hellenistic Period, first half of the 2nd century BCE. From Pergamon, Bergama, in modern-day Turkey. (Museum of Archaeology, Istanbul, Turkey).
NB: The description of the head was taken from the book "Istanbul Archaeological Museums" by Alpay Pasinli.

Remove Ads
Advertisement

About the Author

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Amin, O. S. M. (2018, May 12). Head of Alexander the Great from Pergamon. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8682/head-of-alexander-the-great-from-pergamon/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Head of Alexander the Great from Pergamon." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified May 12, 2018. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8682/head-of-alexander-the-great-from-pergamon/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Head of Alexander the Great from Pergamon." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 12 May 2018. Web. 18 Apr 2024.

Membership