Comments on: Reclining and Dining (and Drinking) in Ancient Greece http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/reclining-and-dining-and-drinking-in-ancient-greece/ The online magazine of the Getty Fri, 24 May 2013 20:59:49 +0000 hourly 1 By: Passover Seder: Greek Symposium? | NotionsCapital http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/reclining-and-dining-and-drinking-in-ancient-greece/#comment-762628 Passover Seder: Greek Symposium? | NotionsCapital Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:53:08 +0000 http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/?p=8677#comment-762628 [...] The ancient Greek symposium (συμπόσιον) was a drinking party; drinking four glasses of wine is a Passover obligation. Diners are supposed to recline while they do so, just like the Greeks. [...] [...] The ancient Greek symposium (συμπόσιον) was a drinking party; drinking four glasses of wine is a Passover obligation. Diners are supposed to recline while they do so, just like the Greeks. [...]

]]> By: Mark Harman http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/reclining-and-dining-and-drinking-in-ancient-greece/#comment-302815 Mark Harman Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:29:54 +0000 http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/?p=8677#comment-302815 Interesting blog! What, of course, is not always obvious are the proportions of the Klinaii on which the diners reclined, as most of our visual evidence is gained from representations on ancient Greek pottery, where the proportions of the furniture was often adapted by the painter to accommodate the (more important) figures represented. Evidence now exists suggesting that the couches were much higher, probably raising the reclined pose of the diners to a height greater than that of those serving them; this, of course, means that the tables (Trapeza) that accompanied the couches were probably also higher in order to facilitate a surface at a comfortable height on which to place the food and drink, and not the low tables often referred to. There is also archaeological evidence, deemed from excavations in Athens that the andron had a circa 3 feet wide raised plinth of a couple of inches around its walls, suggesting that the couches, if placed there, were elevated even higher. Imagine being waited on, in a restaurant today, where the diner sits or reclines at a height level with or greater than that of the standing waiter. A bit intimidating for the waiter! (see my reconstructions of the Kline and Trapeza on http://www.markharmanfurniture.co.uk ) Interesting blog! What, of course, is not always obvious are the proportions of the Klinaii on which the diners reclined, as most of our visual evidence is gained from representations on ancient Greek pottery, where the proportions of the furniture was often adapted by the painter to accommodate the (more important) figures represented.

Evidence now exists suggesting that the couches were much higher, probably raising the reclined pose of the diners to a height greater than that of those serving them; this, of course, means that the tables (Trapeza) that accompanied the couches were probably also higher in order to facilitate a surface at a comfortable height on which to place the food and drink, and not the low tables often referred to. There is also archaeological evidence, deemed from excavations in Athens that the andron had a circa 3 feet wide raised plinth of a couple of inches around its walls, suggesting that the couches, if placed there, were elevated even higher.

Imagine being waited on, in a restaurant today, where the diner sits or reclines at a height level with or greater than that of the standing waiter. A bit intimidating for the waiter!

(see my reconstructions of the Kline and Trapeza on http://www.markharmanfurniture.co.uk )

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