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For the first time in the world, with the validity of the Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology, the gold and ivory statue of Zeus, which was one of the 7 wonders of antiquity, was reconstructed in exceptional detail. The statue was constructed by Pheidias, the most important sculptor of antiquity, in 430 BC as the cult statue of the homonymous temple in Ancient Olympia.
After three years of systematic research, study and construction, with absolute documentation, based on the existing bibliographic and archaeological sources, the statue of Zeus was constructed by the founder of the Museum.
The gold and ivory statue is presented in the exhibition "THE TWO GODS" which includes the Colossus of Rhodes and is part of a wider exhibition entitled: "The 7 wonders of antiquity". The exhibition will be open for three months from July 1 to September 30, 2022 in an exhibition space on G. Douma Street in the center of Ancient Olympia. It is noted that the entrance to the exhibition will be free for the public until Sunday, July 10, 2022, the day of the official opening.
The enthroned god is represented according to the ancient coins of Elis, which faithfully depict its form while its total and individual dimensions (under scale) correspond to those preserved by Callimachus and are consistent with the archaeological findings of its base. The reconstructed statue includes all the detailed decoration and representations clearly described by the traveler Pausanias in his "Iliaka".
One hundred and seventy-three figures in total that adorn the base, footrest and throne of Zeus, bear the "Phidiatic" features and are based sometimes on Roman copies of figures of the statue and sometimes on corresponding sculptures of the time of the construction of the statue.
