The Charioteer of Delphi, (Delphi Museum)

The Charioteer of Delphi, also known as Heniokhos (the rein-holder), is one of the best-known statues surviving from Ancient Greece, and is considered one of the finest examples of ancient bronze statues. The life-size statue of a chariot driver was found in 1896 at the Sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi, and is now in the Delphi Archaeological Museum. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (721x1473, 136 KB) Summary Delphi charioteer. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (721x1473, 136 KB) Summary Delphi charioteer. ... Used for whipping the living hell out of horses. ... Ancient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek-speaking world in ancient times. ... Bronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast-metal sculpture of bronze is often called a bronze. ... Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek and Roman sports. ... 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Statue of Apollo at the British Museum Apollo (Greek: Απόλλων, Apóllōn; Απελλων) is a god in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin of Artemis (goddess of the hunt), one of the most important and many-sided of the Olympian divinities. ... The theatre, seen from above Delphi (Greek Δελφοί - Delphoi; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece. ...

The statue was erected at Delphi in 474 BC, to commemorate the victory of a chariot team in the Pythian Games, which were held at Delphi every four years in honour of Pythean Apollo. It was originally part of a larger group of statuary, including the chariot, four (possibly six) horses and two grooms. Some fragments of the horses were found with the statue. When intact, it must have been one of the most imposing works of statuary in the world. Centuries: 4th century BC - 5th century BC - 6th century BC Decades: 520s BC 510s BC 500s BC 490s BC 480s BC - 470s BC - 460s BC 450s BC 440s BC 430s BC 420s BC 479 BC 478 BC 477 BC 476 BC 475 BC - 474 BC - 473 BC 472 BC 471... Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek and Roman sports. ... View of the stadium of the Delphi sanctuary, used for the Pythian Games. ...

An inscription on the limestone base of the statue shows that it was commissioned by Polyzalus, the tyrant of Gela, a Greek colony in Sicily, as a tribute to Apollo for helping him win the chariot race. The inscription reads: [P]OLUZALOS MA nETHÊK[EN] ...]ON AES EUONUM APOLL[ON], which is reconstructed to read "Polyzalos dedicated me. ... Make him prosper, honoured Apollo." A tyrant (from Greek τύραννος týrannos) is a usurper of rightful power, possessing absolute power and ruling by tyranny. ... Gela is a commune in the province of Caltanissetta, in the island of Sicily, Italy. ... Sicilian disambiguates here; see also Sicilian language or Sicilian Defence. ... Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek and Roman sports. ...

The Sicilian cities were very wealthy compared with most of the cities of mainland Greece and their rulers could afford the most magnificent offerings to the gods, also the best horses and drivers. It is unlikely, however, the statue itself comes from Sicily. The name of the sculptor is unknown, but for stylistic reasons it is believed that the statue was cast in Athens. It has certain similarities of detail to the statue known as the Apollo of Piraeus, which is known to be of Athenian origin. Sicilian disambiguates here; see also Sicilian language or Sicilian Defence. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα Athína IPA ) is the capital of Greece and one of the most famous cities in the world. ...

The Charioteer himself is intact except that his left arm is missing. Greek bronzes were cast in sections and then assembled. When discovered, the statue was in three pieces—head and upper torso, lower torso, and right arm. The left arm was probably detached and lost before the statue was buried. This was probably done to protect it from looters, some time after the Sanctuary at Delphi was closed in the 4th century AD. Assorted ancient bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... One half of a bronze mould for casting a socketed spear head dated to the period 1400-1000 BC. There are no known parallels for this mould. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ...

The statue is one of the few Greek bronzes to preserve the inlaid glass eyes and the copper detailing of the eyelashes and lips. The serene expression of the youth's face is much admired. The headband is of silver and may have been inlaid with precious stones, which have been removed. This article refers to the material. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic brown Atomic mass 63. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5, d Appearance lustrous white metal Atomic mass 107. ...

The statue has inlaid eyes and soft side-curls, demonstrating a very young subject

The figure is of a very young man, as is shown by his soft side-curls. Like modern jockeys, chariot racers were chosen for their lightness, but also needed to be tall, so they were frequently teenagers. He is wearing a xystis, the garment which drivers wore while racing. It falls to his ankles and is fastened high at the waist with a plain belt. The two straps that cross high at his upper back prevented the xystis from "ballooning" during the race. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 255 KB) Charioteer of Delphi. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 255 KB) Charioteer of Delphi. ...

Stylistically, the Charioteer is classed as "Early Classical" or "Severe" (see Greek art). The statue is more naturalistic than the kouroi of the Archaic period, but the pose is still very rigid when compared with later works of the Classical period. One departure from the Archaic style is that the head is inclined slightly to one side. The naturalistic rendering of his feet was greatly admired in ancient times. The Charioteer of Delphi, Delphi Archaeological Museum. ... The great kouros of Samos, the largest surviving kouros in Greece (Samos Archaeological Museum) A kouros (plural kouroi) is a statue of a male youth, dating from the archaic period of Greek sculpture (about 650 BC to about 500 BC). ...

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Charioteer of Delphi