Parthenon Myth Is Debunked After 2,000 Years
Alain Goriely says the supposed optical fixes are imperceptible, with the columns bulging only about 18 mm, according to his study.
- Mathematician Alain Goriely has debunked the 2,000-year-old myth that the Parthenon's curves were designed to correct optical illusions, according to a new study published in Royal Society Open Science.
- Roman Vitruvius first proposed these ideas in the first century BCE, though Goriely describes him as "notorious for having misunderstood many aspects of Greek architecture." These theories persisted for 2,000 years.
- Columns bulge by around 18mm—too small for viewers to detect at most distances. Goriely notes the bulge "registers to the eye as a bulge rather than as a correction," suggesting builders preferred curved aesthetics.
- Investigations revealed no evidence on the ground of the Acropolis that special viewing points ever existed for these alleged corrections. Researchers noted architects would not design beauty visible only from specific locations.
- Romanticization of Ancient Greeks likely explains why these myths endure, but Goriely argues optical-correction theories should be tested by experimental psychologists rather than relying on ancient prose.
19 Articles
19 Articles
British Mathematician Challenges Theory About the Parthenon’s ‘Optical Corrections’
ATHENS – A British mathematician is challenging one of the most widespread theories about the architecture of the Parthenon, arguing that the monument’s famous apparent curves may not have been created to correct optical illusions, as had been believed for centuries. Professor Alain Goriely of the University of Oxford, following mathematical modeling and a study of the Parthenon’s architectural features, concludes that the supposed optical illus…
For over two thousand years the Parthenon of Athens has been considered one of the greatest examples of the architectural ingenuity of ancient Greece. Its seemingly perfect lines, read them...
A British mathematician is challenging one of the most widely held theories about how the Parthenon was designed. For 2,000 years, scholars have admired the Parthenon and praised its architects for their clever use of geometry. It is said that its subtle curves correct optical illusions that would otherwise spoil the Parthenon’s clean lines. “Illusions are a...
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