THE ELEUSIS RELIEF

WHAT & WHERE IS ELEUSIS? Eleusis is to the west of Athens (12km away). the town was amalagamated into Athens and the worship of Demeter and Persephone was established as an official cult of the state. an annual procession from Athens to Eleusis took place in the autumn and the celebration of the Eleusinian mysteries took place here.

THE ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES open to any Greek speaker, man, woman, or slave. warfare was (ideally, but not always) suspended for the period of the initiations, which took 7 days. the action was split between Athens, the port of Piraeus, and Eleusis, a town about 15 miles southwest of Athens. We are not sure exactyl what happened when – hence the mystery. We do know of a few events that took place: 2 days before the Mysteries began the "holy things" were brought in baskets to Athens by the ephebes, young Athenians in military training On the 16th, the initiates took little piglets down to the sea, bathed with them, and purified themselves with blood of the sacrificed piglet. The piglet was obviously important as the animal used to purify the initiates, who aimed at a better afterlife. The initiates spent the next two days indoors at Athens--doing what, we are not too sure, but perhaps sacrificing privately to Demeter and Persephone, and performing what we might call meditation. Then on the fifth day (the 19th), they made the long march with the "sacred things" back to Eleusis (purple dots), where the sacred things were revealed in the Telesterion on the 20th. This was followed by plemochoai on the 21st, the last day, on which two odd-shaped vessels filled with water were tipped out to the east and west by each initiate, who uttered a mystical phrase...which has not been recorded

THE STORY BEHIND THE RELIEF Triptolemas was a prince of Eleusis. His parents were kind to Demeter when Hades kidnapped Persephone. In gratitude, Demeter gave Triptolemas corn seed, a wooden plough, and a chariot drawn by serpents He was sent out into the world to teach mankind how to farm and grow crops.

the piece is carved from a large slab of Pentelic marble.

DEMETER hands Triptolemas an ear of corn Demeter wears a heavy peplos with broad, vertical folds that conceal her the lower part of her body.

TRIPTOLEMAS … wears only sandals and a cloak. stands in a relaxed pose.

PERSEPHONE crowns him. the crown, corn, and Persephone’s ornaments were added in bronze. Persephone body is more revealed because she wears a thin chiton and heavy mantle.

DEPTH AND DETAIL foreshortening attempted but unsatisfactory. the variety of planes in hair and drapery gives a feeling of depth. there is very little overlapping. figures are shown almost fully profile. compared with its contemporary the Parthenon frieze, this piece looks almost old fashioned.