Gorgoneion, may have
served a function similar to that of the stylised eyes in Modern Mediterranean
fetish beads.” (Phinney. 1971.
Perseus's battle with the Gorgons. Transactions and Proceedings of the
American Philological Association. Vol. 102 p.447)
The Cistern Basilica in Istanbul was an underground water reservoir
built by the Byzantines in the 6th century. One aspect
that has puzzled academics to this day is the reasons behind the existence of
Gorgon heads within (see picture above). It would not be possible to conclude
this argument in a blog but I will aim to support the theory that they were an
apotropaic object.
Many academics have maintained that Gorgoneions
were popular in antiquity. What was a Gorgoneion? Furtwangler writing in the
late 19thcentury believed that the Medusa Rondanini in
particular was a religious dedication. (cited in Belson. 1980. The Medusa
Rondanini. American Journal of Archaeology. Vol. 84. No. 3
p.374) This can be seen by the Gorgons that were hung up in religious building
or dedicated to people such as Antiochus IV in Athens. Others have pointed out
that Gorgoneions also appear on shields, vases and above doors and have
suggested an alternative function of it as apotropaic. Athena is able to use
Medusa’s head on her aegis both for good and bad, accordingly people also
seemed to have used the image of medusa and her power to petrify for their own
needs. This is supported by the existence of an amulet with Perseus and the
severed head of Medusa on one side, with an inscription on the other saying
“Flee, gout, Perseus is chasing you!” (Kotansky. 1991. Incantations and Prayers
for Salvation on Inscribed Greek Amulets. Magika Hiera p.119)
Wilk stated “the
Gorgoneion shows up in many circumstances where it is clearly supposed to be a
warning.” (2000 p.42) The warning was intended for either the evil eye or
evil influences. How exactly the Gorgoneion worked, has been debated among
academics. As seen in the amulet above even disease adopted an anthropomorphic
nature able to fear and flee. One popular theory in how it scared away evil was
through its fearsome features. Many such as Root (2007) have supported this
idea, and can be seen by the fanged grinning mouth, large eyes, lolling tongue
and sometimes the appearance of a beard as can be seen by the images below.
Antikensammlungen, Munich, Germany Attic Black Figure Eye cup. 530 BCE
British Museum, London, United Kingdom, Attic Red Figure, 460 BC
It has been argued that the Gorgoneion was used as a form of protection against mortal enemies as well. This is evident with the existence of gorgons on shields, where it has been argued that the image served as a distraction for the enemy on the battlefield. (Wilk p.156) This is further supported in a play by Aristophanes in which one character cannot bear the image of the gorgon on a shield until it is placed upside down on the ground. (Aristophanes. Arharnians p.572) The connection of the depictions above and shields seems to be further supported by the fact Baschor was criticised for believing the Medusa Rondanini was supposed to be on Athena's aegis as all those Gorgons contrasted with Athena's beauty. (cited in Belson. 1980 p.375)
However the depictions of the Gorgoneion have
changed. In 1896 Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (cited in Wilk. 2000 pp.31-5)
categorised these changes into 3 periods. The images above belong to the
Archaic period 8th-5thBCE. The following
period called the transitional period (late 5th-late 2nd BCE) had the medusa’s features softened. The
following period starting from the 4th century BCE is called
the beautiful period where the “gorgon
ceases to be a monster and becomes a young women.” (Wilk. 2000 p. 35) The
Gorgon heads in the Cistern Basilica just like the Medusa Rondanini seem to
belong to the beautiful period. However the later gorgons appear to lose the
fearsome attributes the earlier versions had. “…The Gorgon was no longer a figure of terror, but rather, one of
pity.” (Wilk p.35).
However an alternative theory of how the gorgoneion
worked could answer how the image of the Gorgon could change yet remain an
apotropaic object. That it served essentailly as a distraction for evil
spirits. (Hildburgh. 1946. Apotropaism in Greek Vase-Paintings. Folklore, Vol.
57 No.4 p.155) Particularly her eyes. This could be supported by the fact that
several Ancient Greek and Etruscan vases had eyes on them instead of Gorgons. The connection with the
power attached to the eyes also has a psychological level. In several
experiments tracking eye movement in the 1960s Yarbus found when subjects
looked at a photograph, they unconsciously kept returning to the eyes. (cited
in Wilk p.152) It could be suggested that the Ancient Greeks knew this and used
the unavoidable gaze of the Gorgon for this use.
But one last mystery remains. The Cistern Basilica
was constructed after several centuries of Christianity. There has been one
suggested that the gorgons were simply there as they were the right size for
column supports. However one is sideways and another is placed upside down. If
the Gorgons were turned at the site it could suggest that the builders were
aware of the power attached to them, and possibly anxious to counter it.
However this can never be known.
In Conclusion the gorgon heads were constructed in
an earlier period and were likely to be used as a form of apotropaic object.
Although there is no agreement it seems that the most likely way the Gorgoneion
protected against evil was to distract it, particularly with its eyes. Such
beliefs could have survived into the 6th century in one form or another.
Bibliography
1.
Aristophanes. Acharnians. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0240%3Acard%3D572
2. Belson, J. D. Jul 1980. The Medusa Rondanini. American
Journal of Archaeology. Vol.84 No.3. pp.373-378
3. Hildburgh, W.L. Dec 1946. Apotropaism in Greek
Vase Paintings. Folklore Vol. 57 No. 4 pp.154-178
4. Kotansky, R. 1991. Incantations and and Prayers
for Salvationon inscribed Greek Amulets. Magika Hiera: Ancient Greek Magic
and Religion. Ed. Haraone and Obbink. pp.107-137
5. Phinney. E. Jr. 1971. Perseus's Battle with the
Gorgons. Transactions and proceedings of the American Philological
Association. Vol. 102 pp.445-4663
6. Root. I.B. 2007. Redeeming the Gorgon:
Reclaiming the Medusa Function of Psyche.
7. Wilk. S. 2000. Medusa: Solving the mystery of the Gorgon.