ANTEFIX WITH AFRICAN FACE, 525-475 BCE. PALAZZO CIAMPOLI, TAORMINA In the ancient Greek city of Tauromenion on the coast of Sicily facing Calabria, the monumental centre consisted of a large rectangular agora surrounded on three sides by important municipal buildings and on the fourth by a broad staircase leading up to another rectangular space on with four temples facing toward the agora. This strange, rather frightening terracotta face may have belonged to the bouleterion or city council hall. It's an antefix made from a mold, and its high cheekbones and thick, slightly parted lips curved in a smile resemble other examples of C6 BCE heads which represent Sub-Saharan African men. His broad, flat nose has been broken off, contributing to the "otherness" of the face, which was once painted. But it is an open question whether Africans were alien "others" in this cosmopolitan city, open to trade. He may just represent one of many people governed by the city council.

For a belated #ReliefWednesday as I wait in #Catania airport for my flight to #Rome, my smile eerily resembles that of this #terracotta #antefix from a civic building in the ancient #Greek centre of #Tauromenion, today's #Taormina. It was found buried beneath the #Roman baths.#AncientBluesky 🏺