Naxian Sphinx on an Ionic column

Stood on a tall Ionic column, 10 m high. It is an impressive work, dedicated to the sanctuary by the inhabitants of Naxos in about 560 BC. This mythical fiendish animal with breast and wings of a bird, body of a lion and the head of a woman, was a much beloved theme, especially in Archaic art.

Stood on a tall Ionic column, 10 m high. It is an impressive work, dedicated to the sanctuary by the inhabitants of Naxos in about 560 BC. This mythical fiendish animal with breast and wings of a bird, body of a lion and the head of a woman, was a much beloved theme, especially in Archaic art.

Naxian Sphinx on an Ionic column

Stood on a tall Ionic column, 10 m high. It is an impressive work, dedicated to the sanctuary by the inhabitants of Naxos in about 560 BC. This mythical fiendish animal with breast and wings of a bird, body of a lion and the head of a woman, was a much beloved theme, especially in Archaic art.

Stood on a tall Ionic column, 10 m high. It is an impressive work, dedicated to the sanctuary by the inhabitants of Naxos in about 560 BC. This mythical fiendish animal with breast and wings of a bird, body of a lion and the head of a woman, was a much beloved theme, especially in Archaic art.

Chryselephantine statue

Among the amazing ivory and gold finds made by French archaeologists in 1939, within a repository beneath the paving stones of the Sacred Way, in front of the Stoa of the Athenians.

They were precious votives of wealthy Greeks from Asia Minor (some perhaps from the famous king of Lydia, Croesus) which were destroyed in some conflagration and were buried in a pit, since it was forbidden to remove them from the area of the sanctuary.

The majority are works of the 6th century BC, though some are of earlier date (7th century BC) and others slightly later (until the middle of the 5th century BC).

In antiquity chryselephantine statues had a wooden core to which were attached the exposed parts of the face and body, made of ivory, and the garments and hair, which were of gold.

The middle case contains fragments supposedly belonging to a statue which constituted the central figure of the votive, a seated male on a throne, perhaps Apollo. The face with its marked features is preserved, framed by gilded ringlets, the gilded phiale for libations, parts of the naked feet and two gold plaques from the elaborate dress of the figure. Each plaque is divided into eight squares and in each division, hammered with astonishing dexterity, is a mythical beast or wild animal, such as griffins, lions, bulls, pegasoi et al.

Silver statue of a bull

The enormous bull is larger than life size (2.30 x 1.25m x 25m) and was made of silver leaf (some gilded) affixed to a wooden frame. From the surviving fragments, the bull has been reassembled so that we have some idea of the rich, impressive and wonderfully wrought original. It is dated to the second half of the 6th century BC

Siphnian Treasury -  Detail: Herakles is wearing his Nemean Lion skin

Siphnian Treasury - Trojan War detail - Aeneas, Hector fight the Greeks

Siphnian Treasury - Trojan War detail

Siphnian Treasury - Trojan War detail

Siphnian Treasury - Trojan War detail

Siphnian Treasury - Trojan War detail

Siphnian Treasury - Trojan War detail: 3 giants

Kleobis and Biton

The two youths are here portrayed larger than life size (2.16 m) in the typical, somewhat rigid stance of kouroi: they are nude, standing with the left foot in front and the arms, with clenched fists, glued to the side of the body. Particularly impressive is the robust and athletic modeling of the bodies and their powerful muscles. An inscription on their base tells us that they were made by the Argive sculptor Polymedes. They are dated to the years 610 - 580 B.C.

The two youths are here portrayed larger than life size (2.16 m) in the typical, somewhat rigid stance of kouroi: they are nude, standing with the left foot in front and the arms, with clenched fists, glued to the side of the body. Particularly impressive is the robust and athletic modeling of the bodies and their powerful muscles. An inscription on their base tells us that they were made by the Argive sculptor Polymedes. They are dated to the years 610 - 580 B.C.

Funerary stele
 (a stone or wooden slab, generally galler than it is wide, erected in the ancient world as a monument) of a young athlete. 
From the east cemetery of Delphi. Mid 5th c. B.C

Altar for wine sacrifice (poured into hole on top) with celebration scene in relief. 2nd c. B.C.

Column of the Dancing Girls

One of the most charming and best-known works in the museum is the column of the dancing girls, (330 - 320 BC). 

It is a marble base, originally 11 m. in height, in the form of a plant stem encircled by dense acanthus leaves and surmounted by three embossed nubile dancing maidens. They wear short chitons of flimsy, diaphanous material, through which the outlines of the body are clearly visible, and on the head they have a peculiar headdress, the kalathiskos. 

The column with the dancing girls, which originally had a tripod at the top, on which rested a bronze cauldron, was a votive of the Athenians.

Column of the Dancing Girls

One of the most charming and best-known works in the museum is the column of the dancing girls, (330 - 320 BC). 

It is a marble base, originally 11 m. in height, in the form of a plant stem encircled by dense acanthus leaves and surmounted by three embossed nubile dancing maidens. They wear short chitons of flimsy, diaphanous material, through which the outlines of the body are clearly visible, and on the head they have a peculiar headdress, the kalathiskos. 

The column with the dancing girls, which originally had a tripod at the top, on which rested a bronze cauldron, was a votive of the Athenians.

Marble statue of Antinoos

This is a Roman work (2nd century AD) and portrays the youth Antinoos, favorite of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who after his voluntary drowning in the waters of the Nile was honored as a demi-god. The close curly hair and idealized facial features are worthy of note.

Marble statue of Antinoos

This is a Roman work (2nd century AD) and portrays the youth Antinoos, favorite of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who after his voluntary drowning in the waters of the Nile was honored as a demi-god. The close curly hair and idealized facial features are worthy of note

Charioteer

This is indisputably the masterpiece of the museum and one of the loveliest surviving works of ancient Greek sculpture. The statue is of bronze and is 1.80 m. high. 

It belonged to a monument dedicated by Polyzalos, brother of the Tyrants of Syracuse, Gelon and leron, in honor of his victory at the Pythia of 478 or 474 BC. It comprised part of a large votive which also included at least one quadriga and, perhaps, a small groom. 

The young athlete wears a long chiton belted above the waist and bound at the armpits by fine tapes. His head is crowned with a victor's filet and in his hands, only one of which has survived, he holds the reins. The facial expression is serious, noble and self-confident and the inlaid eyes are preserved in first class condition, add vitality and especial attraction. The folds of his chiton, which fall easily and naturally in the upper part of the body, while in the lower part they are all more or less identical and vertical, thus emphasize the tall, slender stature of the youth. There is nothing violent or furious in his stance, but simplicity, calm and controlled movement. 

This outstanding statue, which is dated to around 470 BC, is a representative work of the Severe style of ancient Greek sculpture. Its creator remains unknown, though scholars have proposed the names of various important bronze sculptors, such as Pythagoras, Kalamis and Kritios.

Charioteer

This is indisputably the masterpiece of the museum and one of the loveliest surviving works of ancient Greek sculpture. The statue is of bronze and is 1.80 m. high. 

It belonged to a monument dedicated by Polyzalos, brother of the Tyrants of Syracuse, Gelon and leron, in honor of his victory at the Pythia of 478 or 474 BC. It comprised part of a large votive which also included at least one quadriga and, perhaps, a small groom. 

The young athlete wears a long chiton belted above the waist and bound at the armpits by fine tapes. His head is crowned with a victor's filet and in his hands, only one of which has survived, he holds the reins. The facial expression is serious, noble and self-confident and the inlaid eyes are preserved in first class condition, add vitality and especial attraction. The folds of his chiton, which fall easily and naturally in the upper part of the body, while in the lower part they are all more or less identical and vertical, thus emphasize the tall, slender stature of the youth. There is nothing violent or furious in his stance, but simplicity, calm and controlled movement. 

This outstanding statue, which is dated to around 470 BC, is a representative work of the Severe style of ancient Greek sculpture. Its creator remains unknown, though scholars have proposed the names of various important bronze sculptors, such as Pythagoras, Kalamis and Kritios

White kylix representing Apollo offering a libation. 480-470 B.C.