καιρός remembered

The near and the far

The Temple of Athena at Priene was built in the Ionic order, which is clearly recognisable by the shape of the capitals with their two volutes (curls). Over time, the entire temple had collapsed or been destroyed. All the columns lay on the ground and their discs were scattered about. It was not until the 1960s that five columns were re-erected, albeit 3 metres shorter than the originals.

The photograph invites us to reflect on the perspective of distance and scale. Within the frame of a single image, the relationship between the near and the far makes us immediately aware of the enormous task the Greek craftsmen had set themselves.

Photo of the week: Remains of the Temple of Athena, 4th cent. BC, Priene, Turkey 2003