Serpent west pediment of the temple of Hekatompedon, hand-painted, 32.8 cm high, 17.2 cm wide, 0.9 kg
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Serpent from the west pediment of the Temple of Hekatompedon on the Acropolis, original depiction, following
the link to the Acropolis Museum in Athens:
https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/hekatompedon-part-snake
The west pediment of the Temple of Hekatompedon on the Acropolis of Athens dates from the Archaic period, around 570 BC. The surviving sculptures show three different groups with mythological conflicts: In the centre, two huge lions tear a bull with their claws, on the left Heracles wrestles with Triton, and on the right a figure stands before the ‘three-bodied demon’, a winged creature with three bearded male figures whose lower bodies are intertwined snakes. The figures hold symbols of the four elements: a wave for water, lightning for fire, a bird for air and the serpent bodies for earth. The identity of the ‘three-bodied demon’ is unclear - some believe it to be Nereus, others Typhon, whom Zeus destroyed with his thunderbolt according to myth. The sculptures were colourfully painted and show the artistic mastery of the time. Small holes with lead handles on the chest and arms of these figures were probably used to attach snakes like the one shown.
Snake from the temple of Hekatompedon, 24 cm, porous limestone, 570 BC, Archaic period,
Replica in original size made of keramine, with black artificial marble base, hand-painted, colour-restored.
This product was added to our catalog on Saturday, May 17, 2025.