Beyond personal preferences, colors need to be selected in function of the target audience of a web site. Market assessment will imply cultural elements which will impact on the choice of colors.
Many cultures attribute special meanings or cult to colors. Here are some of the most common ones:
Red
China: Good luck, celebration, summoning Cherokees: Success, triumph India: Purity South Africa: Color of mourning Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism Eastern: Worn by brides Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green)
After the Walkthrough and still in admiration of the achievements of the ancient Greeks you automatically wonder about the empty spaces and copies exposed on the third floor where the Parthenon Marbles are exposed.
British Colonial Barbarism
When in the 19th century the British Colonial power controlled Athens, many crimes were committed against what today is considered as a cultural heritage of humanity. Not only did they knock off all the sexes of male sculptures ( wonder what the colonials had to fear when having to stand comparison … :-)), but the famous Thomas Bruce Elgin decided to grab some of the most beautiful marbles from the Parthenon (main temple) and other monuments of the Acropolis and to ship them back to England. ( A whole shipload sank on the way and has never been recovered.)
“Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1799–1803, had obtained a controversial permission from the Ottoman authorities to remove pieces from the Acropolis. From 1801 to 1812 Elgin’s agents removed about half of the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon, as well as architectural members and sculpture from the Propylaea and Erechtheum.
The Marbles were transported by sea to Britain. In Britain, Elgin was criticised for his actions, labeled by some as vandalism, and some contemporaries described him as a looter. However, following a public debate in Parliament and subsequent exoneration of Elgin’s actions, the marbles were purchased by the British Government in 1816 and placed on display in the British Museum, where they stand now on view in the purpose-built Duveen Gallery.
The legality of the removal has been questioned and the debate continues as to whether the Marbles should remain in the British Museum or be returned to Athens.” (Wikipedia)
Absent Turkish Prime Minister
In short: The Turks who at that time still occupied Greece authorized the English to loot Greek cultural heritage; no wonder the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan found a last minute excuse for not attending the opening ceremony of the Acropolis Museum yesterday.
To the Turks’ defense let’s note that during their 400 years of occupying Greece, they did not harm the cultural heritage from the 5th century BC until the vandals from Britain showed up.
Absent: British Government
No wonder either that no British government member showed up either amongst the over 400 guests from all over the world; the Brits sent down Bonnie Greer deputy chair of the British Museum’s board of trustees. The poor lady seems to be one of the last defenders of British colonial looting and barbarism, but then she has not much of a choice: if the Brits had to return all objects of theft to former colonies and war opponents they accumulate in their British Museum, the remains would most likely not justify her job.
Criminals usually like to return to the scene of crime but not for the reconstitution of the same.
Diplomatic Karamanlis at the Opening of the Acropolis Museum
The absence of the Turks and the Brits has been noticed even if Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis, diplomatically, didn’t express clearly what 10 million Greeks felt.
Greek Culture and theft of Artifacts
The Marbles exposed at the British Museum are the live testimonial of colonial robbery. The question is: why did colonial powers grab, steal and export artifacts?
It seems, that the colonials were aware of the power of art and culture the more that the Brits had never created anything comparable worth while envying them fore. Who had ever the idea to go and grab a few rocks from Stonehenge?
Greek Culture has spread all around the Mediterranean basin, throughout Europe and deep into Asia. Brits, Spanish, Portuguese and French brought it to the Americas.
What did we get back in exchange? Rock ‘n’ Roll and Hamburgers; not sure the Rock-Burger-Culture will last for 2500 years.
During 2000 years of occupancy by Romans, Turks, Venetians and many others, Greece and Greek culture has survived due to the strong roots, the cultural heritage and the Greek Orthodox Church.
Nevertheless, theft of art and artifacts has a long tradition. In recent years we have seen other acts of cultural barbarism in Afghanistan for example, where the Taliban destroyed systematically cultural heritage.
Second World War was another period where cultural goods were stolen (many have been handed back since). First the Germans looted Museums in conquered lands, then the occupants stole German Heritage as well as what the Germans had stolen first. Ask the Americans, Russians and French.
Further Back, Napoleon was another ace as well as his successors: the Louvre in Paris is a beautiful example of colonial looting. One day may be excuses will not be enough and objects will be returned to where they had been taken away from.
The Role of Museums
The Acropolis Museum is a showcase of ancient Greek Art and Culture. It’s purpose is, amongst others, to collect and preserve testimonials of a cultural past, of the roots of THE Culture which is at the base of Western, Jewish and Christian evolution.
The British Museum, as well as the Louvre are places where Governments have created showcases of political, colonial and strategic achievement. A showcase of conquest. A demonstration of power and submission of other people.
Museums of colonial powers have a similar role as the Roman tradition to bring back home riches, material signs of conquest … and slaves.
“Evolution” is when a woman of African origin becomes a Trustee of a collection representing British Colonial Power, Barbarism and Looting and claims that the Greek Marbles should remain in London.
After crossing the ground floor lobby towards the turn styles of the Museum, the first collection lies before the visitor.
An ascending, wide glass-floored gallery presents finds from the slopes of the Acropolis. On the left hand side, finds from some of the key sanctuaries of the slopes are exhibited. On the right hand side, finds from the smaller sanctuaries and the settlements that developed on the slopes of the Hill are displayed. Unique vases from the Sanctuary of Nymphe, the relief of Telemachos, theatrical masks and the treasure of Aphrodite amongst many other exhibits, provide a fascinating introduction to the larger sanctuaries and the ceremonies associated with them in antiquity.
The visitor is drawn up towards the monumental glass staircase at the end of the glass floored ramp by the large architectural sculptures of the pediment of the Hekatompedon, the first large temple of the Goddess Athena on the Acropolis.
First Floor
The visitor begins the tour of the first floor galleries at the northeast corner, where archaeological finds and a scale model make clear the significance of the Acropolis in the Mycanaean Period both as a residential area and as the seat of the local ruler. The shift in the status of the Acropolis to an important religious center is signaled by the finds from the Geometric period and in particular by the bronze decorative disc ? tour of the acropolis museum from a temple roof. This development is consolidated in the mind of the visitor, with the viewing of the Hekatompedon pediment sculptures at close range, where a scene of a lion entwined in battle with a bull is presented.
The visitor then moves to the south side of the Gallery where the richness and range of architectural sculptures, principally free standing votives stand. Depictions of young women (the Korai), the horse riders (the Ippeis) and many others provide a striking picture of the Acropolis in the Archaic Period.
Acropolis Museum Image 1
In the same Gallery, close to the exhibition of the Korai, the visitor is presented with the commanding sculptures of the pediment of the Ancient Temple of Athena Polias.
For the first time visitors to the Archaic Gallery are afforded the opportunity to view exhibits from all sides as three-dimensional exhibits. With the benefit of the changing natural light, visitors can discern and discover the delicate surface variations of the sculptures and select the antage point from which to observe the exhibits.
The visitor progresses to the close of the Archaic collection, with the display and narrative about the Persian disaster on the Acropolis, and is prepared for the next collection – that of the so-called Severe Style. Turning back to look at the Gallery the visitor is likely to be impressed with the beautiful view of the sculptures amongst the tall columns of the Archaic Gallery.
Second Floor
Visitors can then take the stairs, escalator or elevator to reach the second floor where the Museum restaurant operates but where they can also have panoramic views of the Archaic Gallery and the Gallery of the Slopes below from the public viewing balconies.
Third Floor
Another level up using the staircase, escalator or elevator and the visitor finds themselves in the atrium of the Parthenon Gallery.
Here the visitor can observe a video presentation about the Parthenon, before or after their visit to the Parthenon Gallery, and access other information about the sculptural decoration of the monument.
Acropolis Museum Image 2
The ancient marble inscriptions recording details of the construction of the statue of Athena Parthenos provide information on how democratic bodies in the 5th century BC functioned.
The installation of the frieze of the Parthenon on the rectangular cement core that has exactly the same dimensions as the cella of the Parthenon enables a comprehensive viewing of the details of the frieze as one takes the perimetric walk of the Gallery. The narrative of the story of the Panathenaic Procession is pieced together with a combination of the original blocks of the frieze and cast copies of the pieces in London. The metopes of the Parthenon are mounted in their correct order between the perimetric columns of the Gallery and the pediment sculptures, east and west, are displayed in their respective places.
Back to the First Floor
The descent of the visitor back to the first floor to the last gallery of the Museum, affords views of unique works that became prototypes for subsequent periods from antiquity to today. For the first time ever, it is possible to view to see the coffered ceiling of the Propylaia and the sculptures from the parapet of the Temple of Athena Nike, and finally the Caryatids – or Kores of the Erectheion at close proximity on the balcony overlooking the Slopes Gallery.
The exhibition concludes in this first floor gallery. Reliefs of Athenian decrees, impressive portraits, Roman copies of classical masterpieces and depictions of philosophers and historical figures are the exhibits covering a period from 5th century BC to 5th century AD. The visitor then descends the monumental staircase, crossing the Gallery of the Slopes once again towards the Museum exit.
Outlook
In the coming months visitors will be able to commence their tour of the Museum from the on-site archaeological excavation that lies within the Museum. When conservation of the remains within the excavation is completed and metal ramps above the excavation installed, visitors will be able to walk among – or rather above the remains of the ancient neighborhood. Assisted by key information points at selected vantage spots, visitors will be able to gain an understanding of life in the ancient neighborhood.
Acropolis Museum Image 3
Excavation
The excavation provides the opportunity to visitors to appreciate both the masterpieces of the Acropolis in the upper levels of the Museum against the remains of the day to day lives of the people that lived in the shadow of the Acropolis over various periods.
Visitor Services
Museum visitors have access to a range of visitor services including the ground floor cafe and second floor restaurant–cafe with its panoramic views of the Acropolis. A temporary exhibition gallery, auditorium, a virtual reality theater and two Museum shops assure a high standard of visitor experience in the Museum.
Author: Yorgo Nestoridis, Media Marketing & Publishing, Founder of YORGOO Publishing, YORGOO Press and Semiomantics.
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