Synopses & Reviews
The Peirene Fountain as described by its first excavator, Rufus B. Richardson, is the most famous fountain of Greece. Here is a retrospective of a wellspring of Western civilization, distinguished by its long history, service to a great ancient city, and early identification as the site where Pegasus landed and was tamed by the hero Bellerophon. Spanning three millennia and touching a fourth, Peirene developed from a nameless spring to a renowned source of inspiration, from a busy landmark in Classical Corinth to a quiet churchyard and cemetery in the Byzantine era, and finally from free-flowing Ottoman fountains back to the streams of the source within a living ruin. These histories of Peirene as a spring and as a fountain, and of its watery imagery, form a rich cultural narrative whose interrelations and meanings are best appreciated when studied together. The author deftly describes the evolution of the Fountain of Peirene framed against the underlying landscape and its ancient, medieval, and modern settlement, viewed from the perspective of Corinthian culture and spheres of interaction. Published with the assistance of the Getty Foundation.
Synopsis
The Peirene Fountain is distinguished by its long use, service to a great ancient city, and early identification as the site where Pegasus landed and was tamed by Bellerophon. Highlights include the identification of the so-called Cyclopean Fountain as the sacred nymphaeum of Peirene, an analysis of the Romanization of Peirene, a reconsideration of wall paintings and a Scylla sculptural group of the 2nd century A.D., the reassignment of Peirene's triconch court from Herodes Atticus to a benefactor of the 4th century A.D., and proper attention to post-antique developments, including the recognition of several Ottoman fountains of Peirene. Preceding this history are chapters offering physical and cultural orientation, a review of pictorial and poetic imagery, and a chronicle of exploration and management from 1898 to 1941, all crucial for understanding Peirene and its millennial histories.