A ''sphyrelaton'' ( el, σφυρ-ήλατος for "hammer-elongated", plural: ''sphyrelata'', σφυρήλατα) is a term used for a type of

archaic Greek Archaic Greece was the period in Greek history lasting from circa 800 BC to the second Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC, following the Greek Dark Ages and succeeded by the Classical period. In the archaic period, Greeks settled across the M ...

bronze votive statues of considerable size.

Features

The ''sphyrelata'' were obtained by hammering a thin sheet of bronze around a core of wood previously carved up to take the desired shape. The technique seems to be of Oriental origin, probably imported from north-Syrian workers arrived in Greece around the seventh century BC. In ancient Greece the ''sphyrelaton'' type (along with many other inventions, such as the ''

xoanon A xoanon (, el, ξόανον; plural: el, ξόανα , from the verb el, ξέειν, , to carve or scrape ood was an Archaic wooden cult image of Ancient Greece. Classical Greeks associated such cult objects, whether aniconic or effigy, with ...

'') were attributed to the mythical figure of

Daedalus In Greek mythology, Daedalus (, ; Greek: Δαίδαλος; Latin: ''Daedalus''; Etruscan: ''Taitale'') was a skillful architect and craftsman, seen as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge and power. He is the father of Icarus, the uncle of Perdix, an ...

, and it is indeed significant that the most important testimonies of similar votive objects come from excavations on the island of

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

Archaeological evidence

Archaeological evidence relating to ''sphyrelata'' is scarce. This kind of votive statues, in fact, was produced with materials that are highly perishable and delicate. The technique of realization of ''sphyrelata'' was not particularly long-lasting, as it was completely replaced by

hollow casting Permanent mold casting is a metal casting process that employs reusable molds ("permanent molds"), usually made from metal. The most common process uses gravity to fill the mold, however gas pressure or a vacuum are also used. A variation on the ...

(early sixth century BC), which was used to achieve superior standards of quality with less effort. The most substantial evidence, however, comes from Crete, where, e.g. in the Temple of Apollo Delphinios at

Dreros Dreros ( grc, Δρῆρος), also (representing Modern Greek pronunciation) Driros, near Neapoli in the regional unit of Lasithi, Crete, is a post-Minoan archaeological site, 16 km northwest of Agios Nikolaos. Known only by a chance rema ...

three votive statuettes have been found in an excellent state of preservation, "in the first orientalizing style of the late eighth century" John Boardman, ''Greek Sculpture: Function, Materials, and Techniques in the Archaic and Classical Periods'', edited by Olga Palagia,

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...

, 2006
estratto on line dal capitolo I
. (the so-called Triad of Dreros, now in the

Archaeological Museum of Heraklion The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is a museum located in Heraklion on Crete. It is one of the greatest museums in Greece and the best in the world for Minoan art, as it contains by far the most important and complete collection of artefacts o ...

). Two of the three ''sphyrelata'' are supposed to represent

Artemis In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...

and

Leto In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Leto (; grc-gre, Λητώ , ''Lētṓ'', or , ''Lātṓ'' in Ancient Greek dialects#Provenance, Doric Greek) is a goddess and the mother of Apollo, the god of music, and Artemis ...

, as they are equipped with a ''polos'', a long decorated garment and a mantle. The two are in static positions, while the third, which is hypothesized to depict Apollo, is in motion, and the position of the arm of god (leaning forward) suggests that it held a bow.

Bibliography

*John Griffiths Pedley, ''Greek Art and Archeology''- Roma:

Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato The Italian Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS) (State Mint and Polygraphic Institute), founded in 1928, is situated at the via Salaria 691 in Rome. As well as producing coins, passports, and postage stamps for Italy, it serves the mic ...

, Libreria dello Stato, 2005 (400 p.: ill.;

Notes

External links

*{{Commonscatinline, Sphyrelata Archaic Greek sculpture Greek words and phrases Bronze sculptures in Greece Sculptures in Olympia Ancient Greek metalwork