What materials were used to make Phidias's Statue of Zeus?

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The statue of Zeus at Olympia, created by the sculptor Phidias, was a chryselephantine masterpiece, a term derived from the Greek words for gold and ivory.12

The materials used to construct the statue included:

  • Flesh: Crafted from ivory.13
  • Drapery: Formed from thin sheets of gold hammered into shape over molds.132
  • Throne: An elaborate structure made of cedarwood and ornamented with ebony, ivory, gold, and precious stones.4

The statue was approximately 40 feet (12 meters) high and featured the god seated on his throne, holding a figure of Nike in his right hand and a sceptre in his left. Excavations at the site of Phidias's workshop confirmed these construction methods, uncovering tools, ivory fragments, glass ornaments, and heavy clay molds used for shaping the gold drapery.432