Zeus Statue

1018 Words3 Pages

In the world today, there are many spectacular sculptures and artworks. The statue of Zeus at Olympia was possibly the most famous statue in the ancient world. It is known to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Greek sculptor Phidias made it about 435 BC, and dedicated to Zeus the king of gods. The statue of Zeus was the greatest statue to be built in Greece. The artists of this statue captured the royalty of the king by seating Zeus on a throne to inspire tremendous awe in all that witnessed this statue.
In honor of the ancient Olympic Games, Phidias built the statue of Zeus. Zeus, king of the Greek gods, was shown in larger-than-life form in the Temple at Olympia in ancient Greece. The monument was carved by Phidias, considered
Zeus’ head was decorated with an olive wreath that symbolized peace. In his right hand he held Nike, symbolizing the importance of winning. In his left hand, a golden scepter representing royalty, topped with a golden eagle. His feet rested on a golden footstool that reached the eye level of his worshippers. A layer of gold flowed across his ivory shoulders. His face was calm, commanding, and bearded that represented the face of the powerful god. The temple represented Greek architecture 's fascination with proportion. Large bronze doors housed the wonders held within the temple. One of the most extraordinary things about the statue was Zeus ' expression. His eyes were so detailed that it was said that they could pierce your soul. Zeus ' throne was carved showing images from mythology of gods, demigods and other
Just as United States ' currency represents important monuments and faces, ancient Greek coins featured the famous statue of Zeus. This currency gives us details about his appearance; researchers can judge how strong an attraction the statue had to tourists based on how far they traveled with the coins from Olympia. And in 1950, a major archaeological breakthrough came when Dr. Emil Kunze and his team found the remains of Phidias ' workshop next to the temple 's ruins. Using evidence from inch-long to 18-inch-long terra cotta and iron molds, Kunze was able to reconstruct what the statue might have looked like and how it might have been built. Kunze theorized that the statue was built from thin plates of gold stretched across a wood

More about Zeus Statue

Open Document