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Kekrops
the Great King
of Athens
Kekrops was an early earth-born king
of Attika and founder of the city of
Athens. Attic iconography presented
him as a male figure with a
serpent's-tail. His children comprised,
a son, Erichthonios, and three
daughters, Aglauros, Herse, and
Pandrosos.
In his time, the gods decided to
procure cities in order to establish
their own cults. Poseidon came to
Attica first and struck his trident on
the Acropolis rock producing sea.
Athena followed this with her
miraculous creation of the first olive
tree. She was judged the winner.
Kekrops
the Great King
of Athens
This fragment comes from the west
Pediment of the Parthenon. It shows
part of a serpent that coiled beneath
Kekrops. The serpent fragment was
made separately and at some point in
its history became detached. Acquired
by Lord Elgin, it came to England,
while the figure of Kekrops itself
remained on the temple.
The Parthenon, Athens
448 – 432 BC
Pentelic Marble
GR 1816.6-10.104
The Group of
Kekrops and Pandrosos
through the drawings of
Early Travellers
and Artists in Athens
Jacques Carrey 1674
William Pars - 1765
James Stuart - Nicholas Revett The Antiquities of Athens 1787
William Gell 1801
Giovanni B. Lusieri 1802
Part Serpent - Part
Human
Between two Religions
Kekrop’s Iconography
in Attic Art
Kekrops first king of Attica, from a
special drinking vessel in the shape
of Sphinx
Made in Athens 470-460 BC
The British Museum
GR 1873.8-20.265 (Vase E 788)
Gaia offering Erichthonios to
Athena.
On the right Kekrops
Melian Clay Relief, found in Attica
in 1885
about 460 BC
Antikensammlung Staatliche, Berlin
TC 6281
Kekrops, from a vase painting
depicting the birth of Erichthonios
Athenian Red-figured drinking cup,
ca 440 BC
Antikensammlung Staatliche, Berlin
F 2537
The group of Kekrops and
Pandrosos.
Found in 1888, at Eleusis.
About the 2nd century AD
Pentelic Marble
National Archaeological
Museum of Athens
EAM 200