Technical Observations on the Sculptures from the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

Abstract

Technical observations on the sculptures from the Temple of Zeus at Olympia allow a reconstruction of their appearance at installation and of the major changes made afterward. At installation, many sculptures were unfinished; the west pediment had more centaur groups than are preserved today; and the horse blocks on the east pediment were separated, one in front of the other. By the time of Pausanias's visit in A.D. 174, the sculptures had suffered major damage at least twice (in the mid-4th century and the early 2nd century B.C.); his identification of Kaineus in the west pediment may refer to a headless Apollo propped up on his knees, flanked by centaurs.