Much ado about those 2004 mascots
Aprehistoric terracotta doll standing in a glass case in the National Archaeological Museum has been attracting a great deal of attention, particularly from tourists. The seventh-century BC children’s toy from ancient Thebes, its arms outstretched and with a long, periscopic neck, was the inspiration for Phevos and Athena, the mascots chosen by the Athens 2004 Organization Committee. Only the sketches for them had been shown at the unveiling ceremony, which did no justice to the primitive grace and innocent child-like quality employed by the artist to please a child so long ago. Now taken out of storage and prominently displayed, the ancient doll is charming everyone. Athens 2004 President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki should have clay models of the doll made, with movable limbs and from flexible material, for children, young and old, to play with. As for Phevos, he could wear a cap decorated with rays to show that he is the sun god, Phoebus Apollo, and not simply a cartoon. Our mythology is rich in symbols and themes that are popular with foreigners – Heracles, Artemis, the goddess Aphrodite and Cycladic idols – all of which could be made from clay or marble and stamped with the Olympic Games logo. As for Phevos and Athena, they should be spelled Phoebus and Athina – let’s not change to the Latin spelling known to foreigners. But what we really liked was the doll from Boeotia, wearing shoe size 40.
