Sculptures from Ephesos

"Sculptures from Ephesos": the project aims at the complete documentation of specific parts of Ephesian sculpture - A portraits, B herms, C garland sarcophagi, D votive reliefs - and at the publication of a systematic, iconographically arranged catalogue which is an obligation for each excavation in international research. Thanks to the co-operation with the colleagues from the relevant museums in Turkey, Vienna and London, also the finds from the early English and Austrian excavations and the finds from the new Turkish excavations will be incorporated into the catalogue. Part E - sculptural décor of 4 apartments of the Hanghaus 2 - aims, in accordance with research on the construction of the complex (see separate project), at the description and evaluation of the sculptures` setting in their local and chronological context. The documentation of the "Sculptures from Ephesos" was subsidized by the FWF from 1981 to 1990 (applicant H. Vetters) and 1995-1997: publications included "Die Skulpturen von Ephesos I. Idealplastik." FiE X/I (1990) and several papers by Dr. M. Aurenhammer. A preliminary documentation of the portraits as outcome of P11036-SPR has been finished. The new project dealing with portraits (A), a sequel to P11036-SPR, aims at the completion of the documentation and the publication in teamwork with the colleagues from Vienna, London and Turkey. - Regarding parts B, C and D, a documentation of the sculptures has yet to be compiled. As to the garland sarcophagi (C), a whole branch of production at Ephesos, questions of production and export will be dealt with here. The votive reliefs (D) are to be seen as a part of the whole Ephesian cult. The sculptures from the apartments of Hanghaus 2 (E), partly works of art of high quality, will be interpreted as part of the whole décor of this complex. As to methodics, a thorough study, an archaeological and photographic documentation of the sculptures in Ephesos proper and in the various museums is most important, besides studies of the excavation diaries and reports and secondary literature regarding the sculptures, their parallels in ancient art and (E) their setting as well as literature regarding the Ephesian cults (D). The publications of the different classes of Ephesian sculpture aim at stylistical, typological and chronological classification of the image, if possible also the identification of the portrait (A). The publication of the garland sarcophagi (C) should end in a complete study of a branch of production of Ephesian sculpture, and the publication of the sculptures from the Hanghaus 2 (E) in a study of their setting in local and chronological context. Promotion of the project "Sculptures from Ephesos" would cover five important parts of Ephesian sculpture and lead to a big step forward regarding recording, documentation and interpretation of one aspect of this ancient megalopolis.

The aim of this project was the systematic recording and documentation of "Sculptures from Ephesos", the Hellenistic, Roman and Late Antique sculpture found in an ancient metropolis in Asia Minor (Turkey), site of long term Austrian research but also Turkish and early British excavations. The final aim is publication in the series "Forschungen in Ephesos". The publication of the rich sculptural finds from the cities in Asia Minor is a desideratum which was partly met by the FWF in funding this project. The project focused on three important topics in the research of ancient sculpture: the portraits (sequel to P 11036), the sarcophagi, and the sculptural decoration of a luxurious Roman townhouse in the middle of the city ("Hanghaus 2"). All the goals originally set were attained and even surpassed; the results will be important for international research in this field. Regarding the portraits and the sarcophagi, the original goal was the documentation of the objects and their typological and chronological classification. The publication of the portraits is organized as an international cooperation of museum assistants in Vienna, London and Selcuk (Turkey), directed by M. Aurenhammer. The catalogue comprises all the portraits found at Ephesos regardless of any date and function, as well as all the recent finds, and will therefore surpass the "Ephesian" part of the two basic portrait catalogues of portraits from Asia Minor. J. AUINGER`s work was funded by the FWF: she finished the documentation and the texts of her part of the volume and managed to join several pieces of sculpture, some located in different museums. Because of the large number of portraits and the numerous authors, the publication will not be completed until the end of 2002. Regarding the sarcophagi, the originally planned topic (the study of the "garland sarcophagi", meaning the city`s own production of sarcophagi) was enlarged to encompass all the sarcophagi and fragments found at Ephesos, both imported and locally produced. The main approach focuses now on the relation between the city`s own production, import and export in this field. This focus on the whole variety of sarcophagi of a specific city is relatively new in sarcophagus research in Asia Minor and may be seen as an innovative aspect of this project. The basis of this research is of course the systematic recording of all the monuments; M. HEINZ managed to record about 95 % of all the sarcophagi (i.e. over 700 objects). This publication, too, will be organized as a cooperation of M. HEINZ and colleagues of the museum at Selcuk where most of the monuments are stored. The inscriptions will be published by H. Taeuber (University of Vienna). Regarding the sculptural decoration of the Roman townhouse ("Hanghaus 2"), the goal was not only the mere documentation of the monuments but also their interpretation in a spatial and chronological context; they were linked with the results of research into the houses`s architecture and its other decorative elements which where studied in other projects. The final goal is the publication of the whole townhouse in all its aspects which will offer an important contribution to the study of Roman dwellings. E CHRISTOF und E. RATHMAYR surpassed their goals as they not only finished catalogue and text dealing with units 1, 2 and 4 of this house, but recorded the monuments of units 3, 5 and 6 as well. In the course of their work, all the colleagues funded by the FWF and the director of the project contributed articles, lectures or posters linked to their field of study.