The Swinging Woman. Phaedra and Swing in Classical Greece

In classical myth Phaedra plays a particular role: a main figure in ancient literature (Euripides, Ovid, Seneca write extensively about her vicissitudes), she occupies a very limited space in the artistic repertoire of the classical world. In the Greek world, Phaedra’s figure is unknown to the Hellenic artistic repertoires. There is however an interesting exception: the pictures painted by Polygnotos for the Lesche of the Cnidians at Delphoi, where Phaedra is on a swing. The annotation of Pausania is by no means  secondary: it is common knowledge, as the myths of Erigon or Charila show, that there is a very close symbolic connection between the swing and the hanging, which is also how Phaedra chooses to kill herself. But the binomial swing/hanging, mainly related to sexual relations by ancient sources, also represents symbolically the kind of death enacted in female puberty rituals.In classical myth Phaedra plays a particular role: a main figure in ancient literature (Euripides, Ovid, Seneca write extensively about her vicissitudes), she occupies a very limited space in the artistic repertoire of the classical world. In the Greek world, Phaedra’s figure is unknown to the Hellenic artistic repertoires. There is however an interesting exception: the pictures painted by Polygnotos for the Lesche of the Cnidians at Delphoi, where Phaedra is on a swing. The annotation of Pausania is by no means  secondary: it is common knowledge, as the myths of Erigon or Charila show, that there is a very close symbolic connection between the swing and the hanging, which is also how Phaedra chooses to kill herself. But the binomial swing/hanging, mainly related to sexual relations by ancient sources, also represents symbolically the kind of death enacted in female puberty rituals.

Videre in futurum. Magia e astragalomanzia nel mondo greco

Uno degli aspetti più interessanti della magia nel mondo greco è senza dubbio il rituale della divinatio, che si esplica attraverso molteplici manifestazioni. Una di queste è l’astragalomanzia, ovvero la predizione del fato attraverso il lancio degli astragali, oggetti utilizzati anche nella pratica ludica. Davvero profondo infatti risulta essere il legame tra l’astragalomanzia e la dea Tyche, padrona dei destini umani, che elargisce a suo piacimento fortune e disgrazie. Tale relazione trova una puntuale trasposizione iconica nelle immagini raffiguranti scene di gioco, in cui viene proiettata simbolicamente l’immagine della Tyche. La valenza magica dell’astragalo legata alla divinazione emerge in tutta la sua chiarezza anche nelle fonti scritte e nei contesti archeologici, in primis quelli funerari, in cui troviamo casi di sepolture di individui i cui corpi risultano quasi ricoperti da astragali.Parole chiave: astragali, Tyche, divinazione, magia, gioco. One of the most interesting aspects of magic in the greek world is undoubtedly the ritual of the conjecture, which is expressed through many manifestations. One of these is “astragalomanzia”, namely the prediction of fate through the launch of the knucklebones, the objects used in practice play. There is a strong link between “astragalomanzia” and the goddess Tyche, the mistress of human destinies, who lavishes her liking on fortunes and misfortunes. This report is a timely iconic transposition into images depicting scenes of the game, which symbolically projects the image of Tyche. The magic value of the knucklebone related to divination emerges in all its clarity even in written sources and archaeological sites, primarily those funeral ones, where we find instances of burials of individuals whose bodies are almost covered with knucklebones.Keywords: knucklebones, Tyche, conjecture, magic, game

Recensione a: Luigi Todisco, Prassitele di Atene. Scultore e bronzista del IV secolo (=Maestri dell’arte classica VI), Giorgio Bretschneider Editore, Roma 2017, pp. 148, tavv. XXVI, ISBN: 9788876893018

Review to: Luigi Todisco, Prassitele di Atene. Scultore e bronzista del IV secolo (=Maestri dell’arte classica VI), Giorgio Bretschneider Editore, Roma 2017, pp. 148, tavv. XXVI, ISBN: 9788876893018   Recensione a: Luigi Todisco, Prassitele di Atene. Scultore e bronzista del IV secolo (=Maestri dell’arte classica VI), Giorgio Bretschneider Editore, Roma 2017, pp. 148, tavv. XXVI, ISBN: 978887689301

Tagliare la testa al toro. Alcune riflessioni sull’iconografia di Teseo e il Minotauro

Nell’iconografia attica di Teseo in lotta col Minotauro si proietta l’affrancamento di Atene dall’influenza cretese, sancitoritualmente e liturgicamente mediante l’arma utilizzata – la machaira – e la modalità di uccisione – la sphagé –, che connotano inmaniera evidente la soppressione come un sacrificio rituale e legittimo. Lo schema che vede Teseo che afferra il mostro per le cornarimanda strettamente alla pratica delle tauromachie cretesi, difficili prove iniziatiche per i giovani di alto rango. In età romana l’armadell’eroe non è più la spada, bensì la clava, o talvolta il pedum. Ciò che viene a mancare è la proiezione simbolica della potenza atenie-se, non più funzionale, mentre viene invece enfatizzata l’opposizione tra Teseo/civiltà e Minotauro/barbarie.In the Attic iconography of Theseus fighting with the Minotaur, the liberation of Athens from the influence of Crete isprojected , enacted ritually and liturgically through the used weapon – the machaira – and the way of killing – the sphagé -, whichcharacterize the suppression as a ritual and legitimate sacrifice in an evident way. The drawing which shows Theseus grabbing themonster by its horns closely refers to the practice Cretian tauromachies, difficult initiation tests for the young people of tall rank. Inthe Roman age the hero’s weapon is no longer the sword, on the contrary the cudgel, or sometimes the pedum. What is missing is thesymbolic projection of the Athe

NEW TRENDS IN THE BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF MILK: A REVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PROCESSING EFFECTS

Milk has a complex highly variable nutritional com-position based on the different species and animal breeds, together with the strategy and management of the animal feed. It is the first food consumed by chil-dren, exclusively for the initial months because it contains all the nutrients necessary for body growth and the development of cognitive functions. Consid-ering the Mediterranean diet, cow and goat milk is consumed fresh or used for the production of dairy products, while sheep and buffalo milk is used exclu-sively for cheese production. In developing countries, sheep milk or milk from particular animal species such as the yak is also used for fresh consumption and is a low-cost food source for consumers. Milk is the only raw food with a complete profile of all nutri-ents, from proteins to fats, carbohydrates, water, min-erals, and vitamins. Several bioactive compounds are present in milk or originate during protein digestion and fat fraction. Thus, milk can be defined as a func-tional food because it adapts to the definition "any food or food ingredient that can provide a health ben-efit over the traditional nutrients it contains"

Archeologia urbana a Cagliari. Scavi in via Caprera 8 (2014-2015)

Abstract: The book treats about the archaeological excavation in via Caprera 8, in the courtyard of the Regional Agency Laore. The finding of a great amount of archaeological objects is of central importance for the understanding of the ancient urbanistic of Cagliari. These objects, which chronology goes from the 5th century BCE to 7th century CE, has allowed to analyse and study the archaeological finds and excavation context, precisely exposed in the text.Riassunto: Il volume tratta dello scavo archeologico eseguito in via Caprera 8, nel cortile interno dell'Agenzia regionale Laore. In tale ambito, centrale nell'urbanistica di Cagliari antica, il rinvenimento di un gran numero di reperti che vanno dal V secolo a.C. al VII d.C. ha consentito l'analisi e lo studio dei materiali archeologici e del contesto di scavo, esposti in maniera puntuale nel volume