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Museum of Classical Archaeology Databases

Siphnian Treasury at Delphi, Frieze

The friezes are not easy to read, but each side is a self-contained narrative. They show battle scenes of the gods and giants (north), the gods in deep discussion during the Trojan Wars (east) and the abduction of an unidentified woman (south). The reliefs are deep, almost in the round in places, but have names written at the sides of the figures, which was a convention in vase painting. As was usual at the time, the human figures and horses are out of scale with each other. The picture shows one slab with a battle scene

Number: 
71
Material: 
Marble
Location of Original: 

Delphi

Size: 
0.64 x 8.60 x 6.21m
Accession: 

Purchased 1922

References: 

Lippold: Griechische Plastik, 69-, pl. 19
DelaCoste-Messelière: Au Musée de Delphes, 237-
Fouilles de Delphes IV: 1&2, 72-
Stewart: Greek Sculpture, 128, pls. 190-8
For missing slabs:
Fouilles de Delphes IV: pls. VII-VIII
Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique LI (1927): pls. VI-VII P&Q

Date: 
c.525 BCE
Sculptor: 
Signed on a shield
Provenance: 

Found on the Sacred Way at Delphi

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