The life and afterlife of a precious Greek statue

Nike was the daughter of the River Styx, the river separating the world of the living from the afterlife, and the Titan Pallas. And like Athena, goddess of wisdom and war who was always shown in armour, we can often find Nike presented as Zeus' charioteer, bringing a furious speed to his battles, and a rare take on female representation in the ancient world. In our show, you will find her handing out victory wreaths and ribbons to successful athletes, warriors and playwrights, always identifiable by her wings, but often portrayed just on the edge of a scene - reminding us that in ancient Greece, success was given - or denied - by the gods.

This fragmentary, carved marble representation of Nike, the goddess of victory, is the first object that visitors see upon entering the exhibition. It is an example of akroteria, carved architectural statuary which adorned the rooflines of major civic buildings such as temples. Beautifully carved at the sides and the front but unfinished at the back, this statue was designed to be seen mounted on the edge of a gable roofline. She would have been flanked by a corresponding statue on the opposite side. When viewed from the ground or from a distance, it would have appeared as though the goddess was descending to earth from the heavens and guaranteeing the success of the building and all within it. The effect would have been awe inspiring.

This statue was found at Halikarnassos (now modern-day Bodrum in Turkey) which was one of the most spectacular cities of the ancient Mediterranean. The region was home to many Greek communities and was famous for its opulent cities.

This statue of Nike was once framed by large wings, the remains of which you will see clearly on the upper sides. You can also see the recesses where her head and arms, each carved separately, had been inserted. It was carved from a pink-tinged marble quarried in the eastern Mediterranean and probably local to Halikarnassos, having a much softer appearance than the gleaming white marble from Paros or Mount Pentelikon. Nike's wings and limbs, however, have long been lost, and you need to use your imagination to recreate the statue's original appearance. I also encourage you to remember that the marble surface of this statue would once have been vividly and realistically painted. Yet even in a fragmentary, abraded state, enough remains of the dynamism and movement of this piece to convey the virtuoso talents of the Greek sculptors who created it.

After its heyday, standing resplendent on the roofline of a major building, this statue was later found recycled in a far less glamorous context. British archaeologist Charles Newton discovered it broken into two pieces lying next to discarded column drums in a levelling fill beneath a mosaic pavement from a Roman-era villa. Unlike many other statues discovered in the 19th century, Nike remains as she was discovered, without any obvious restoration. I prefer objects in this condition, as every instance of damage offers pathways for interpretation, allowing us to reconstruct their ancient biographies. This statue of Nike came into the collections of the British Museum along with many other objects that Newton discovered during his excavations at Halikarnassos between 1856-57, and which he sent back to London on the warship The Gorgon. Shortly afterwards, Newton, who had begun his career as a young assistant at the British Museum 20 years earlier, became its first Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities in 1861.

This statue is exhibited alongside more than 170 treasures from the British Museum in Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes, on display at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra until May 2022.