Athena - Reykjavik, Iceland
Posted by: Metro2
N 64° 08.756 W 021° 56.227
27W E 454404 N 7113611
Athena is the Greek goddess of many attributes including love, just warfare, justice and wisdom.
Waymark Code: WMM1ED
Location: Iceland
Date Posted: 07/02/2014
Views: 9
This sculpture is a replica of an ancient work by Myron dated to 5th century BC.
It is set near the building that served as the National Congress Hall in 1851.
It depicts a life-sized Athena standing, wearing long robes and a helmet on top of her head...not covering her face. She looks to the left as her body shifts to the right. The arms are missing.
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us:
"In Greek religion and mythology, Athena or Athene ... also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene ... is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, just warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. Minerva is the Roman goddess identified with Athena.
Athena is portrayed as a shrewd companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour. She is the virgin patroness of Athens. The Athenians founded the Parthenon on the Acropolis of her namesake city, Athens (Athena Parthenos), in her honour.
Veneration of Athena was so persistent that archaic myths about her were recast to adapt to cultural changes. In her role as a protector of the city (polis), many people throughout the Greek world worshiped Athena as Athena Polias ... "Athena of the city"). The city of Athens and the goddess Athena essentially bear the same name (Athena the Goddess, Athenai the city) while it is not known which of the two words is derived from the other."