A Towering Statue of Atlas Emerges From the Ruins of Sicily's Ancient Temple of Zeus

[Judi Lynn]

:In the fifth century B.C.E., 38 looming sculptures of the Titan stood guard at the structure

Julia Binswanger
Daily Correspondent

March 1, 2024



Researchers have pieced together a 26-foot-tall statue of Atlas originally built some 2,500 years ago. Sicilian Regional Government


After 20 years of restorations, a 26-foot-tall statue of Atlas is once again standing guard at the ancient Temple of Zeus in the city of Agrigento (once called Akragas) in Sicily.

The statue, created in the fifth century B.C.E., was one of roughly 38 similar Atlas monuments built into the temple. They stood in a line between columns with their arms raised, appearing to hold the holy structure upright.

In Greek mythology, Atlas was a Titan who rebelled in a war against Zeus. As punishment, he was forced to hold up the sky on his shoulders. Unlike the mythological Atlas, however, the stone likenesses were unable to hold up Zeus’ temple forever. Ultimately, earthquakes and other events caused the structure to crumble.

For many years, pieces of the statues were scattered around the site amongst other ancient ruins. In 1812, Charles Robert Cockerell, a prominent British architect, first identified one of the Titan’s giant sandstone heads during a visit to Agrigento. A century later, in 1920, archaeologist Pirro Marconi became the first person to attempt to reconstruct one of the Atlases, which is now housed in the Archaeological Museum of Agrigento.

More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-towering-statue-of-atlas-emerges-from-the-ruins-of-sicily-ancient-temple-of-zeus-180983876/