Bengtskär, the southernmost lighthouse in Finland

Colorful gods

My visit to Berlin last weekend would not have been complete without visiting one of Berlin's most interesting museums, The Pergamon Museum. I have been there many times, but still it has something new to offer on every visit.

This time there was a micro exhibition called Colorful Gods. It showcased reproductions of ancient statues that were painted unlike we have used to see them before. Most of the found ancient Greek and Roman statues are white or they have only pale traces of paint. The ancient colors have faded away in many cases because the colors used in ancient times were organic and sand and water have made their best to polish the colors away. With modern technology it has been possible to trace back the colors that were originally used. It was fascinating to see the statues, although reproductions, in color instead of black and white. One could feel the ancient times coming back to life.