Statue of Priestess Nikeso

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The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore in Priene sits majestically on a raised platform overlooking the city below. Women typically held priestly positions within the cult of earth and fertility goddesses, with statues erected frequently to honor them. The statue of Nikeso stands near the entrance, its inscription describing the priestess as 'Nikeso, daughter of Hipposthenes, wife of Eukritos, priestess of Demeter and Kore.' The statue likely fell from its pedestal and only the torso remains intact. However, the lines under the arm and the position of the dowel that held the right arm suggest it once supported a water container balanced on Nikeso's head. Terracotta figurines depicting cult servants with similar motifs were discovered as votive offerings within the sanctuary. Nikeso's portrayal in her priestly role is possible, and she may have commissioned this statue 'in memory of her service to the temple' (as noted by C. Eule). Her appearance bears a striking resemblance to Kore, Demeter's daughter. Like statues of the youthful goddess, Nikeso's mantle wraps around her body with the upper edge running diagonally across her chest, leaving her right arm bare. Nikeso's hairstyle is unusual for a bourgeois woman of the time but fits the image of a goddess. At first glance, the statue appears simple, its body encircled by a finely ribbed mantle in a double layer that creates a thick texture with strong diagonal folds across the back, abdomen, and chest. The mantle ends in swaths of material thrown over Nikeso's left shoulder, covering her left arm entirely. A broad overfold forms around her breast, with the lower edge running horizontally to the upper left arm. A series of finely pleated layers of fabric can be seen along the upper arm, gathering over her left hand as it grasps the cascading fabric from within. The texture of artfully draped material is enhanced by the sharp contrast between the ribbed fabric and the finely pleated chiton that falls to Nikeso's feet. As a counterpoint to the mantle's diagonally cut fold lines covering the body, volume and movement are indicated in places – her round breasts, abdomen, knee turned to one side, curved left hip, and distinct twist of her right shoulder. The expressiveness and use of contrapposto that characterizes statues from the high Hellenistic period is already evident here.