Materials Ancient Greek sculpture

natural marble

ancient greek monumental sculpture composed entirely of marble or bronze; cast bronze becoming favoured medium major works 5th century; many pieces of sculpture known in marble copies made roman market made in bronze. smaller works in great variety of materials, many of them precious, large production of terracotta figurines. territories of ancient greece, except sicily , southern italy, contained abundant supplies of fine marble, pentelic , parian marble highly prized, along modern prilep in macedonia, , various sources in modern turkey. ores bronze relatively easy obtain. marble found around parthenon , other major greek buildings.

athena in workshop of sculptor working on marble horse, attic red-figure kylix, 480 bce, staatliche antikensammlungen (inv. 2650)

both marble , bronze fortunately easy form , durable; in ancient cultures there no doubt traditions of sculpture in wood know little, other acrolithic sculptures, large, head , exposed flesh parts in marble clothed parts in wood. bronze had significant scrap value few original bronzes have survived, though in recent years marine archaeology or trawling has added few spectacular finds, such artemision bronze , riace bronzes, have extended modern understanding. many copies of roman period marble versions of works in bronze. ordinary limestone used in archaic period, thereafter, except in areas of modern italy no local marble, architectural sculpture , decoration. plaster or stucco used hair only.

chryselephantine sculptures, used temple cult images , luxury works, used gold, in leaf form , ivory or parts (faces , hands) of figure, , gems , other materials, less common, , fragments have survived. many statues given jewellery, can seen holes attaching it, , held weapons or other objects in different materials.

the victorious youth (c. 310 bce). remarkably weather-preserved bronze statue of greek athlete in contrapposto pose.