Since 1988, the analysis of the Greek, Roman and late antique sculpture discovered during the Austrian excavations at Ephesos has been systematically carried out at the OEAI, as an aspect of the project "Sculptures from Ephesos." The excavations, which have lasted over 100 years, have brought thousands of sculptural finds to light. The goal is twofold: on the one hand, the systematic registration and documentation of sculptures in a catalogue, organized according to types, in the series "Forschungen in Ephesos"; on the other hand, the accompanying analysis of the manner in which this material was displayed, both in public and in private buildings. As part of this project, an image data bank of Ephesian sculpture is also planned. The project has been made possible from 1988-90, 1995-97, and again from 1998 onwards, through the financial support from the Austrian Science Fund.
Currently, seven subgroups of Ephesian sculpture are being studied and prepared for publication (In 2008, 2 colleagues were financed by the FWF-Projects 18605-G02: J. Auinger and A. Leung; Project Direction M. Aurenhammer):

- Portraits (edited by M. Aurenhammer, collective authors)
- Herms (R. Hanslmayr)
- Sarcophagi (M. Heinz, C. Kintrup)
- Sculptural display of the Residential Units 3, 5 and 6 of Terrace House 2 (E. Christof, E. Rathmayr)
- Sculptural display from the Nymphaeum of C. Laecanius Bassus
- Sculptural display of the Vedius Gymnasium and the East Gymnasium (J. Auinger with A. Leung, Building Research)
- Sculptural display of the Theatre (M. Aurenhammer)

Portraits

The publication of all hellenistic and imperial portraits found in Ephesos, a project with international cooperation, is almost complete. In addition to the portrait heads, the publication also incorporates statues and busts without heads, that is, all of the monuments found during excavations, including new discoveries and previously unpublished pieces; the purchases of the Ephesos Museum Selçuk are also taken into consideration. Through these means the material basis, compared to the fundamental publication by J. Inan and E. Alföldi-Rosenbaum, is vastly increased. Contributions have been written by M. Aurenhammer, J. Auinger, M. Heinz, and E. Rathmayr as well as by A. Chodora, G. Günay-von Graeve and R. Hanslmayr; furthermore, cooperative work has taken place with the Department of Antiquities of the Kunsthistorischen Museums Wien (M. Laubenberger), the British Museum, Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities (Th. Opper und S. Walker) and the Efes Müzesi Selçuk (with co-workers M. Büyükkolancı, C. Içten, B. Tuluk, Ü. Yüğrük-Planken). Furthermore, a list of all inscribed bases originating from portrait statues will be published (A. Sokolicek).

Herms

The publication by R. Hanslmayr of all of the herms found in Ephesos is in preparation (FiE X 1, 1), with contributions by H. Taeuber (Institute for Ancient History and Archaeology , Papyrology and Epigraphy of the University of Vienna) on the inscriptions, and by G. Plattner (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien,Department of Antiquities) on the architectural ornament of the Herakles Gate, as well as with the cooperation of M. Büyükkolanci (University of Denizli). The work incorporates monuments of widely differing forms, from the small-format ornamental herms up to colossal examples, and also some copies and imitations of famous works of art. Of particular interest is the late antique balustrade of herms from the Nymphaeum Traiani.

Sarcophagi

The goal of this project, which has been supported by the Austrian Science Fund in three sections (P 13186, P 15112, and P 17122-G02), is the documentation and publication of all of the sarcophagi found in the region of Ephesos; this is carried out with the cooperation of the Ephesos Museum Selçuk. There are ca. 800 sarcophagi and sarcophagus fragments, primarily garland sarcophagi of local publication, but also including imports from the various regions of Asia Minor such as Dokimeion and Proconnessus, and also imports from Athens and even Rome. The publication, in the form of a catalogue with overlapping texts, covers the garland sarcophagi (M. Heinz, B. Tuluk), the columnar sarcophagi (M. Heinz, M. Büyükkolancı, the Attic sarcophagi and their imitations (C. Kintrup), the sarcophagi from the city of Rome and other sarcophagi (M. Heinz), with the incorporation of all of the declarative inscriptions (H. Taeuber).

The Sculptural Display of Terrace House 2

Currently the studies on the sculptural display of Residential Units 1 and 2 (E. Christof and E. Rathmayr) are in press, while the studies on the sculpture from Residential Units 3 and 5 (E. Christof) and 6 (E. Rathmayr) are in preparation (Institute for the Cultural History of Antiquity).

The Sculptural Display from the Nymphaeum of C. Laecanius Bassus

The sculptural ornamentation of this impressive fountain was analyzed by E. Rathmayr in the framework of a project supported by the Austrian Science Fund (P 16591-G02) supporting publication of the entire monument. Die Ausstattung dieses Prunkbrunnens wurde von E. Rathmayr im Rahmen eines FWF-Projekts (P 16591-G02) für die Publikation des gesamten Monuments bearbeitet.

The Sculptural Display from the Nymphaeum of C. Laecanius Bassus

The sculptural ornamentation of this impressive fountain was analyzed by E. Rathmayr in the framework of a project supported by the Austrian Science Fund (P 16591-G02) supporting publication of the entire monument.

The Sculptural Display of the Vedius Gymnasium and of the East Gymnasium

The aim of this project, funded by the Austrian Science Fund (P 18605-G02, 2006-2008), is the reconstruction and interpretation of the sculptural display of the Vedius Gymnasium and of the East Gymnasium (J. Auinger). During the excavation of these structures, which took place between 1927-1931 by J. Keil and F. Miltner, about 20 complete statues and 60 sculptural fragments of exceptional quality were brought to light. The largest number of sculptural fragments were found in the so-called Imperial Halls: this concentration of statuary embellishment provides a good ground for questioning the function of these rooms. Numerous new fragments (ca. 370 pieces) were discovered during the most recent investigations during the years 2002-2005 (M. Steskal, see Vedius Gymnasium). In addition to the importance of the individual pieces, the systematic evaluation of the total finds promises significant results pertaining to the programme of display and to sculptural workshops.
There is no current archaeological or architectural investigation of the East Gymnasium, so that a recording of the building and a reconstruction of the so-called Imperial Hall is being carried out (A. Leung) in order to facilitate a parallel study of the sculptural display of this structure.

The Sculptural Display of the Theatre

M. Aurenhammer is preparing the publication of the sculpture from the Theater), in cooperation with A. Özturk (Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul, the architecture of the stage building) and M. Hofbauer (excavations). The monuments are stored in the museums of Selçuk and Istanbul, at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, and at the British Museum, London. A. Can Özren (Thetis 3, 1995, 105 ff. 124 ff.) offered an overview of the well-known monuments from the sculptural display. The analysis of the excavation reports and daily journals, correspondence, and photographic archives in Vienna and London will change the picture again. The work began in 2005.

Picture Captions
Fig. 1: Bust of a woman from the late Severan period, from Terrace House 1 (© OEAI, Photo N. Gail)
Fig. 2: Detail of the Herm Balustrade from Terrace House 1 (© OEAI, Photo A. Schiffleitner)
Fig. 3: Garland sarcophagus from the so-called Grotto of St. Paul (1st half of the 1st century A.D.) (© OEAI, Photo N. Gail)
Fig. 4: Hellenistic statue of Artemis from Residential Unit 4 of Terrace House 2 (© OEAI, Photo A. Schiffleitner)
Fig. 5: River god from the Vedius Gymnasium, detail (© OEAI, Photo N. Gail)
Fig. 6: Reconstruction of the stage building of the Theatre (G. Niemann, 1906) (© OEAI, Photo N. Gail)

Bibliography:
M. Aurenhammer, Die Skulpturen von Ephesos. Idealplastik I, FiE X 1 (1990).
M. Aurenhammer, Drei neue römische Porträts von der Tetragonos Agora in Ephesos, ÖJh 69, 2000, 17-33.
M. Heinz, Sarkophage der kleinasiatischen Hauptgruppe und ihre Nachahmungen in Ephesos, ÖJh 70, 2001, 51-64.
M. Aurenhammer, Skulpturen aus Stein und Bronze, in: C. Lang-Auinger (Hrsg.), Hanghaus 1 in Ephesos. Funde und Ausstattung. FiE VIII 4 (2003) 153-208.
R. Hanslmayr, Der spätantike Hermenzaun vom Nymphaeum Traiani. Eine Planetenbalustrade, in: B. Asamer - W. Wohlmayr (Hrsg.), Akten des 9. Österreichischen Archäologentages am Institut für Klassische Archäologie der Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg 2001 (2003) 63-68.
M. Heinz, Die Sarkophage aus der Grabung 2002, in: M. Steskal - K. Großschmidt - M. Heinz - F. Kanz - H. Taeuber, Die Damianosstoa in Ephesos. Bericht über die Ausgrabung 2002 im Abschnitt Kathodos III, ÖJh 72, 2003, 252-263.
E. Rathmayr, Skulpturen, in: H. Thür (Hrsg.), Hanghaus 2 in Ephesos. Die Wohneinheit 4. FiE VIII 6 (2005) 207-229.
J. Auinger - A. Sokolicek, Ein späthellenistisches Grabrelief aus der Nekropole am Ostabhang des Panayır Dağ, ÖJh 75, 2006, 309-323.
E. Rathmayr, Götter- und Kaiserkult im privaten Wohnbereich anhand von Skulpturen aus dem Hanghaus 2, RömHistMitt 48, 2006, 103-133.
J. Auinger - E. Rathmayr, Zur spätantiken Statuenausstattung der Thermen und Nymphäen in Ephesos, in: F. A. Bauer - Ch. Witschel (Hrsg.), Statuen in der Spätantike. Spätantike - Frühes Christentum - Byzanz. Kunst im ersten Jahrtausend 23 (2007) 237-269.

Contact:
Maria Aurenhammer
Co-workers:
Johanna Auinger
Eva Christof
Regina Hanslmayr
Margarete Heinz
Carola Kintrup
Elisabeth Rathmayr