In an article titled "The fantastical beasts of ancient Greece," published in its Culture section, the BBC news website focused on the dark side of Hellenic art; specifically on the fantastical fearsome creatures that were commonly depicted in it.

Although ancient Greeks are viewed as highly rational beings, having h democracy, philosophy and drama, no one can deny that supernatural beings and primal forces played an important role in their societies.

Starting from the griffins decorating the famous Throne Room in the Minoan palace at Knossos, Crete, and the leonine creatures above the impressive stone gate at the Mycenae site, the article goes on to mention other fascinating monsters, including Centaurs, gorgons, satyrs and sphinxes. Many of these were recently on display at a Metropolitan Museum of Art’s, New York, exhibition Assyria to Iberia at the Dawn of the Classical Age.

Regarding the attitude of Ancient Greeks toward these monsters, BBC noted that, although it is tempting to understand them in opposition to concepts of Greek civilisation, perhaps things were not as simple as that. "The Greeks seem to have found these monstrous or semi-human creatures useful to explore and express their world-view, their ideas about humanity and civilization, the mortal and divine. Fantastical beings were part of the furniture of the Greek mind," noted Peter Stewart, director of the Classical Art Research Centre at the University of Oxford.

Source: Greek News Agenda

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