This ‘heroic size’ reclining figure is a copy made from one of The Parthenon Sculptures currently housed at The British Museum, and thought to represent the river-god Ilissos. This piece was part of the Ballarat Technical Art School's collection of reference for art studies, and became affectionately known as 'Hercules' by subsequent student cohorts. The cast was likely made by Brucciani and Co. London, and part of a consignment delivered to the School during the 1920s. This cast replicates one of a number of relics acquired by Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl of Elgin and ambassador to Turkey, (Lord Elgin) in Athens in the early 19th century. (Hence, these works were sometimes collectively referred to as the Elgin Marbles). Ownership of the artefacts, once part of the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple, is disputed by Greece. It maintains that Elgin removed them illegally while the country was under Turkish occupation as part of the Ottoman Empire. The items were sold to the British Museum in 1816 and have remained there ever since. The original "Ilissos" was located on the west pediment of the Parthenon in Greece, and was created in c435 BC. It is unknown if the statue was in position or had already fallen when removed from the Parthenon by Elgin. The Royal Academy London also holds a copy of this plaster cast. The Ballarat Technical Art School boasted a well-stocked Antique Room replete with plaster copies of classical, Renaissance and Gothic sculptural examples, which were used as drawing props by students. The school inherited some casts from its predecessor institutions, and further consignments were purchased during the 1920s, including full length, bust and relief figures, as well as dozens of ornamental and architectural casts. Unfortunately, much of the collection was lost or destroyed in the late 1950s.Quality examples of heroic sized plaster replicas are now rare, as many plaster collections were destroyed or lost when the copy of antique examples fell out of favour with art schools.Plaster cast used during Drawing classes at the Ballarat Technical Arts School. It is likely a headless depiction of the river god Ilissos.hercules, ballarat technical art school, elgin marbles, plaster, plaster cast, figure of a river god, parthenon marbles, ilissos, copy, drawing the human figure from cast, drawing from the antique, visual arts

BHS CollectionLongitudinal plan of the Sheepshead line of reefs, showing the mines and their sites and depths, along the reef line. Reefs marked on plan: Central Blue Reef, Freehold Reef, Big Blue Slates, Central Clue Reef and Hercules Reef. From the south of the reef : Red, White & Blue Extended, South Blue Consolidated, Old Central Blue, True Blue, Blue consolidated South Shaft, No. 3 Shaft, Blue Consolidated, North Blue, Blue United, sheepshead, Central Blue, Little 180, Ironbark South, Ironbark, Hercules. Written on bottom of plan: ' Longitudinal Section Sheepshead Line of Reefs - Bendigo'.bendigo, mining, sheepshead reef

BHS CollectionPhotocopy of a newspaper page two titled Long Gully, Bendigo Where things seem to just 'continue on'. At the top of the page is a sketched streetscape of Long Gully with buildings and a poppet legs along the street, tram tracks going around a corner and some people on the street. At the bottom of the page is a streetscape of Eaglehawk with buildings along the street, tram tracks and electrical poles in the centre of the road.. Written at the top of the page is Approx 1936 and at the bottom of the page is A Crossley Long Gully. The article mentions what it was like in the early years and late refers to biblical references.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - long gully - bendigo, nell gynne, hercules, deborah, new chum, tyson's reef, dead horse gully, pennyweight gully, golden gully, poverty gully, poor man's gully, job's gully, methodist chapel, the shamrock, bulls head, old house at home, five lions