The official Athens 2004 Mascots, Phevos and Athena are brother and sister. An ancient Greek doll inspired their creation and their names are linked to ancient Greece. Through the ages these two siblings are children of modern times.

They were named after the two Olympian gods: Phevos, the Olympian god of light and music, known as Apollo. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and patron of the city of Athens.

In this way, Phevos and Athena are the link between Greek history and the modern Olympic Games of today.

These two, Phevos and Athena represent the values of Olympism: participation, brotherhood, equality, cooperation, and fair play.

Athena and Phevos are two dolls. An idol to remind us the pleasure of indulging in games; they highlight that the value of participation is higher than that of victory.

At the same time, as they are brother and sister, a boy and a girl, this symbolizes the equality and brotherhood around the world.

Of all the Olympic Symbols, the most familiar and lovable, especially to children, is the Olympic Games Mascot.

The mascot was first introduced in 1968 in Grenoble. This tradition continues and the world has been presented with an exciting variety of Mascots.

Each one of these Mascots is as unique as the city and the country that created it, adding its own character to the Games. The common features in all Mascots is that they embody the universal Olympic Ideals and the fundamental values of the Olympic Games:

Friendship between people and nations, the spirit of fair play and the universal celebration that are the Games.

All these in the simple, optimistic and cheerful manner that only a Mascot could convey to us all.

Source of Inspiration
Dolls are the oldest and perhaps most beloved toys of all eras. In the golden era of Greek civilization, dolls developed out of a figure which had previously been an idol or a fertility symbol. Most experts agree that the most important criterion for labelling a figure as a toy are its movable limbs.

A relatively big number of such ancient dolls have been found as their main material, terracotta, preserves well - much better than, for example, wood or cloth. The oldest Greek dolls date from the 7th century BC.

Before their wedding, girls would not only sacrifice their dress to the gods, but also their doll, in order to be cleansed and to obtain fertility.

An ancient Greek doll served as the source of inspiration for the creation of Phevos and Athena, the two Mascots of the 2004 Olympic Games.

The original relic is a bell shaped doll made of terracotta. Its legs connect to the tunic-covered body by wire that makes its legs movable, reminding us of contemporary puppets.

In Ancient Greece, these dolls known also as “daidala” were not only children’s toys but also had a religious significance, as is evident from the religious symbols depicted on them. Such references exist from the days of Homer and Hesiodus. In the course of time the religious aspect slowly disappeared.

Today, one such terracotta doll is exhibited in the Greek Archaeological Museum, while similar ones are exhibited in The Louvre and the museums of Boston and Berlin.

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