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Source Image: PR307_02_21 of Unfinished Hermes of Aphrodisias: Miscellaneous Statuary

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Description

Detail of the unfinished Hermes from the West Necropolis.

Monument
Aphrodisias: Miscellaneous Statuary 
Monument Part
Unfinished Hermes 
Monument Type
Statuary 
Material(s)
Aphrodisian marble (Visual identification)  
Date
circa ad 100 - circa ad 300 
Keywords
BodyHermesMeasuring Point  
Collections
Aphrodisias, Site and Museum  

Location

Original Location
Aphrodisias 
Current Location
Aphrodisias Museum 

Evidence for working practices

1. Toolmarks

Process
Roughing-out
Tool
Point
Method
Angle: Vertical (90°)
Force: Hard
Description
Rough point chiselling can be seen on the surface to the left and right of this leg.

2. Measuring point

Process
Measurement
Description
Two measuring points are visible on the figure's right leg. These appear to have been marked out during or perhaps even before the roughing-out process.

3. Toolmarks

Process
Rough shaping
Tool
Roundel
Method
Angle: Shallow (40-50°)
Force: Medium
Description
The surface of the legs itself is worked with a round-headed chisel.

Notes

Two measuring points are visible in this detail. These seem to have acted as reference points during the carving process but exactly how they were employed is unknown. Groups of three measuring points are quite common and they are often located on the thighs of the figure's being carved, suggesting that working out the exact proportions of this area was crucial to getting the rest of the figure correct. These are not points made by the pointing machine since they do not have drill holes at their centre. It seems most likely, then, that the carvers used callipers with them to help judge certain proportions.

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