A cast bronze votive sculpture depicting a charioteer. Although only the charioteer figure survives, it would have been part of a larger sculpture including his chariot and horses.
One of the few surviving cast bronze sculptures, the Charioteer is one of the most impressive sculptures at Delphi, and is only part of a larger sculpture including a full chariot and team of horses, from which fragments survive. The sculpture was made using the lost wax method, where a wax sculpture was covered in clay and allowed to harden. When ready, the clay was filled with molten bronze, melting the wax and filling the clay mold. The sculpture dates from the early 5th century BCE and was dedicated by Polyzalos, a tyrant of Gela in Sicily. It is a primary example of the Severe style of Greek art, marking a transition between the Archaic and Classical styles. In addition to bronze, there are highlights of copper and silver, and the eyes are made of onyx stone embedded in glass.
Creation date unknown. Photograph processed July 1978. Notes written on the slide or index: The Charioteer c. 470 B.C.
