The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The colossal Zeus in the temple at Olympia was the most celebrated ancient statue because of its size, beauty, and costliness. It was chryselephantine--made of gold and ivory. The famous Athenian sculptor Phidias (who also designed the statue of Athena in the Parthenon) made the seated figure (c.436-432 BC) in a special workshop behind the temple. The figure sat on an elaborate throne covered with ebony, glass, and gemstone inlays as well as sculptures and paintings of Greek myths and legends. It held a scepter with an eagle in its left hand and a Nike (victory goddess) in its right. The flesh was ivory and the drapery gold. In front of the figure, whose head nearly touched the ceiling (it was approximately 12 m/40 ft high), was a blue-black stone basin filled with oil to protect it from the damp air of Olympia. Tourist galleries surrounded it. The lost statue is known from coins and archaeological evidence.