Representations of Classical Greek Monuments : An Exploration of the Visual Culture

Tower of the Winds

The Tower of the Winds is also known as the Clock of Andronicus Cyrrhestes or the Horologian of Kyrrhestos and served as a timekeeping tower. Built in the 2nd century BCE by the astronomer Andronicus on the eastern side of the Roman Agora, the Pentelic marble tower featured nine sundials and a large water clock. Standing 13.5 meters high on top of a base of three steps, the octagonal tower has two doorways, one northeast and the other north west, with a cylindrical annex on the south side. Each side is 3.2 meters long, with a conical roof and two small Corinthian porches at each doorway. However, the key feature to the tower is the personifications of the winds carved into each of its eight sides. The vane paid tribute to Triton, a mythical, fish-tailed sea god, but the following are the wind gods, their direction,  and their distinguishing factors:


Boreas is the North wind, depicted as a bearded male blowing a shell trumpet. 

Kaikias, the Northeast wind, is shown as a bearded mad with a shield full of hailstones. 

Apeliotes depicts the East wind as a young male with a cloak filled with fruit and grain. 

Euros, the Southeast wind, is portrayed as a bearded male wearing a coat billowing from the wind. 

Notos is the South wind and is represented by a young male emptying a jar of water. 

Lips, as the Southwest wind, is a young male holding the stern of a ship. 

Zephyros depicts the West wind as a young male wearing a flower-filled cloak. 

Skiron, the Northwest wind, is shown as a bearded male with a metal vase spilling hot coals. 

After excavation by the Greek Archaeological Society in 1837 and restoration in 2016, the tower is now open to visitors. 

Photo Credits to Google Images and https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC490JA_winds 

Sources:
http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/2/eh251.jsp?obj_id=1839
https://www.ancient.eu/article/1044/tower-of-the-winds/
https://www3.astronomicalheritage.net/index.php/show-entity?identity=90&idsubentity=1
 

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