Statue of Zeus

One of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The Statue of Zeus was built as the centerpiece for the Temple of Zeus in the city of Olympia in the district of Elis on the Peloponnesian Peninsula; designed by the legendary sculptor, Phidias and constructed circa 435 BCE.

While it was still standing, the statue was described in detail by several travelers including Phylo of Byzantium and Pausanias; the statue was made of gold and ivory fashioned over a wooden frame (this type of ivory-gold construction is called chryselephantine); Zeus was seated on a throne with an olive garland and jeweled crown on his head; in his right hand he was holding the figure of the goddess Nike (Victory) and in his left hand was a scepter with an eagle perched on top; his robe was made of gold and decorated with figures of animals and white lilies.

The paving stones in front of the statue were black and there was a small moat filled with olive oil to preserve the ivory from the dankness of the temple’s interior; the statue was perhaps overlarge for the size of the room in which it was enthroned but it’s assumed that the proportions of the room and statue were deliberately designed to instill a sense of awe in the worshipers; the exact size of the statue is unknown but it can be assumed to have been at least 30-40 feet (9-12 meters) in height; the sculpture was dismantled circa 420 CE and removed to Constantinople where it was presumed to have survived for another fifty years.