A Clay Model of an Ephebe

AMONG the innumerable activities undertaken by John Threpsiades as Ephor of the lower city of Athens was the supervision of archaeological exploration necessitated by modern construction. In August 1962, he was called in to observe an excavation at the northwest corner of the intersection of Hermes and Karaiskakis Streets. This point lies about 150 meters north of the presumed northern limit of the ancient Agora, and west of Monasteraki Square. It probably fell on the line of a road that issued from the Agora between the Stoa Poikile and the Stoa of the Herms and ran toward the Acharnian Gate.1 Mr. Threpsiades followed the excavation, despite persistent ill health, up to the week before his death in September, 1962. Since he generously suggested that I publish the terracotta fragment which forms the subject of this note, it is here offered in gratitude for the many favors that were received from him and his assistants by members of the staff of the Agora excavations. While digging the beddings for the concrete piers of a new building, the workmen came upon ancient remains some three meters below the modern surface. A few limestone walls survived, plastered on their inner faces. They apparently belonged to a dwelling of which the courtyard was flagged with roughly finished limestone slabs. Over this floor a large deposit of pottery had been thrown after the destruction of the house, presumably to raise the level. This deposit contained large fragments of late red-figure, many skyphoi, kantharoi, plates and bowls of ordinary black glaze. No stamped anmphora handles appeared. A very few scraps of West Slope ware set the lowest date for the deposit in the very early third century B.C.2 The fragment of a seated figure 3 to be discussed here (P1. 32) was the only terracotta in the deposit. It is preserved virtually intact below the waist. The upper part, including all the left arm, the left foot and the right leg below the cloak are missing. Technically, the piece is unusual in having been entirely built up by hand, layer by layer. The underside of the rocky seat was then scooped out in order to facilitate baking. The back was left solid and unmodelled. The walls are remarkably thick, 1.5 cm.,4 and the figure is unusually heavy. A small hole in the stump of the