Delphi Archaeological Museum | History, Collections, & Highlights

Probably the most famous exhibit at the Delphi Archaeological Museum, the Charioteer of Delphi is a life-size bronze statue of a young man from the 5th century BCE. The 1.8-meter-tall figure holding reins is thought to be a charioteer who won the Pythian Games in 478 or 474 BCE. The statue was found in the Sanctuary of Apollo almost intact except for the left forearm. It is considered part of a larger statue with a chariot and horse, of which only fragments have been found.

The Sphinx of Naxos is a 2.22-meter-tall marble statue dating back to the 6th century BCE. It is one of the earliest surviving examples of a Greek sphinx – a mythical creature with the head of a woman, the body of a lioness, and the chest and wings of a large bird. It originally stood atop a 12.5-metre-tall ionic column near the Halos of the Temple of Apollo. It is believed to be a votive offering to Apollo by the people of the wealthy island of Naxos in the Aegean Sea.

This is a pair of 6th-century BCE marble sculptures depicting nude male youths or “kouroi”, thought to represent the brothers Kleobis and Biton. The twin kouroi figures are believed to have been made at Argos and kept at Delphi as votive offerings to the Temple of Apollo. These archaic statues were excavated at the archaeological site near the Treasury of the Athenians in 1893-94.

Chryselephantine sculptures were made of gold and ivory, and were considered extremely precious in Ancient Greece. In 1939, several chryselephantine objects were found buried in a pit next to Delphi’s Sacred Way. These included statues of Apollo, Artemis, and their mother, Leto, as well as fragments of the statue of a silver bull. Believed to date back to the 6th century BCE, the sculptures are displayed in the museum’s Room 4.

Made of Pentelic marble, the Dancers of Delphi depicts three young female figures on a column of acanthus leaves. It earns its name because of the graceful poses of the three women, which makes them look like they’re dancing. The figures are said to represent the three daughters of Cecrops, a legendary king of Athens. This monument is believed to be from the 4th century BCE and was discovered during the excavations in 1894.

In Greek mythology, the Omphalos, meaning “navel of the world”, is the stone Zeus used to mark Delphi as the center of the Earth. Today, the spot at the archaeological site is marked by a copy, while the original Omphalos is displayed at the museum. The marble stone is shaped like a large conical beehive and its surface is decorated with carved reliefs. It is believed that in ancient times, the stone was kept in the Temple of Apollo’s inner sanctum, where the Oracle made its prophecies.

The Treasury of the Siphanians was one of the most elaborate buildings at Delphi. Made entirely of marble, this 6th-century temple-like structure was decorated with sculptural reliefs depicting scenes from Greek mythology, such as the Gigantomachy (battle between the Olympian gods and the giants), the Trojan War, and the Judgement of Paris. While the treasury fell to ruins, slabs of the frieze were uncovered and are displayed at the museum.

Antinous was a young Greek and a favorite companion of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. After his sudden death in the 2nd century CE, Hadrian ordered statues of Antinous to be carved and put up across the empire. One of these, made of Parian marble, was installed at Delphi and uncovered during the excavations in 1894. Though missing its forearms, it is well preserved and is recognized as one of the most impressive examples of Greek sculpture.