Commentary Prepared by Dr. Julia Lenaghan, Ashmolean Museum

A 058
Head of a Centaur (I) [Eurytion?]; Olympia West Pediment

Marble (Parian)
Pedimental Figure
H 59 cm

From the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus. The head was found in 1877 ca. 37 m to the west of the temple.
Greece, Olympia, Olympia Museum
ca. 460 BC; Early Classical

Preservation:
The fragment preserves the head and a small section of the chest with parts of both shoulders. The entire surface is heavily worn and abraded, especially in the face. There are large, irregular chips along the breaks.

Description:
The head is lowered and turned to the left. It shows an elderly, balding centaur with a long beard reaching down to the chest. The mouth is opened, the nostrils are flared. Traces of the arm of a second figure are visible on the right side of the head below the temple. There is a long cleft running across the head above the forehead. Although the surface is badly worn it seems that hair and beard were not rendered in great detail. There is a row of regular, circular drill holes on both sides (seven on the right, three on the left) and a flat groove on the back of the head.

Discussion:
The head belongs to the statue of an elderly balding centaur trying to abduct a Lapith woman (A57). He holds her with his right hand around her waist and his right front leg around her thigh, whilst his left grabs her exposed breast. In defence she stems her left elbow against the side of his head. It seems that the centaur has also sustained a severe head wound inflicted by a Lapith (Peirithoos) fighting next to him. The intense pain and hard struggle show in the tense features of his face. Most details, especially of beard and hair, originally must have been rendered in colour. The dowel holes indicate that the centaur was marked out with a crown or wreath added in bronze. Together with his advanced age this identifies him as Eurytion, their leader, who is trying to abduct Peirithoos’ bride, Deidameia.

Bibliography:
G. Treu, Die Bildwerke in Stein und Thon (= Olympia III) (Berlin 1895) 72-74; 76; 109 figs. 116-118 pls. 24; 25.3 This is the thorough original publication providing details on findspot, preservation etc.
B. Ashmole and N. Yalouris, Olympia. The Sculptures of the Temple of Zeus (London 1967) 18-19; 178 pls. 110-111; 115 A valuable and richly illustrated discussion including new fragments.