The North-Western Greek System

Abstract Two important sanctuaries at Thermon and Calydon in Aetolia gave birth to a local school of architectural terracottas in north-western Greece during the second half of the seventh century BC, initially influencing also the island of Corfu (Map 3) before that island evolved its own style based on the Western Greek system (see Chapter 12).1The north-western Greek system combines elements which are traditionally separate and distinctive features of the Corinthian and Laconian systems: Corinthian-style flat pan tiles with upward-curving side borders, and pitched cover tiles; Laconian-style semicircular ridge tiles, geison tiles, antefix plaques which overhang below the bottom of the cover tile backer, and tiles which are often painted black or red. Some of these features could have evolved from Protocorinthian roofs (see Chapter 3; Fig. 1a-b). Unique to this system at this time, and possibly of local invention-unless the idea was brought from Sikyon-is the predilection for human heads decorating antefixes, often alternating with waterspouts in the form of lion heads, male heads, or Silen heads, creating the effect of an almost continuous lateral sima along the eaves, set above projecting geison tiles with a painted tongue pattern on the soffit.