![]() Sculptor Chares used iron beams and frames to help the statue stand and simultaneously support it. In fact, it was the techniques used to create this monstrous replica of a god that put him out there along with the other wonders. It wasn’t just the size of the Rhodes Statue that made it one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. His right hand was facing the sky, closing his eyes as if protecting the harbor from the sun’s rays. This crowned statue of Helios was naked and his left hand held a clock. The sun god Helios was carved using bronze collected from Demetrius’ war machines. The Rhodes Statue was 34 meters high and stood on the 15-meter-high floor. Features of the Colossus of Rhodes Statue In later periods, there were statues imitating the great example at Rhodes near the ports of Roman statues in ports such as Ostia. The exact location of the statue is unknown as no ancient writer bothered to mention it, but the east side of the harbor is the most likely location. Today, the Colossus is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a masterpiece of art and engineering. Despite its disappearance, the Old World Wonder has inspired modern artists such as the French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, best known for his famous New York work ‘The Statue of Liberty’. Recent research indicates that it was erected either on the eastern promontory of Mandraki harbor or further inland.Īlthough we do not know the true shape and appearance of the Rhodes Statue, modern reconstructions of the statue standing upright are more accurate than older drawings. The Rhodes Statue was on the island of Rhodes, the largest of the Greek Dodecanese islands in the Mediterranean. However, despite the destruction of the statue along with its remains, which are no longer found nowadays, one thing is for sure – this unique piece of ancient art will remain a true work of genius. Unfortunately, the huge and tall Rhodes Statue, symbolizing victory and unity, ended up in the trade market for metal scraps alone. One thing is certain, he did not stand with his legs stretched out to the harbor entrance, as depicted in many medieval drawings. Today, no one is quite sure what the Rhodes Statue looks like or what its stance is. Metal scraps were brought to trade markets and sold. However, later in AD 654, Arab traders came to the island and bought broken bronze pieces and started trading. All these years some tourists have visited the site. Rhodes Statue Ruins, Last Statusīroken pieces of the Colossus, made of bronze, remained there for nearly 800 years, as no one used the statue’s remains or tried to reconstruct it. It represented the Greek God Helios and was built to thank the gods in honor of Demetrius Poliorcetes’ victory over the protracted siege of Rhodes (305 BC). Last, we'll learn about the Lighthouse of Alexandria.Colossus of Rhodes Statue was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its legacy lives on in the style of a famous statue created by Frederic Bartholdi: the Statue of Liberty.įor our last stop on the tour of ancient wonders, we island-hop back to where we started: Egypt. In 653 A.D., invading Arabs sold the toppled Colossus for scrap metal. Tourists would try to wrap their arms around the colossus' thumb, but it was too big to grasp. Pliny wrote that it was still a wonder to see in this condition. For almost four centuries, the colossus lay prostrate on the ground. When the Rhodians considered rebuilding the colossus, an oracle, or message from the gods, advised them not to. The colossus broke at its knees, and when it toppled over, it crushed several houses and buildings in its wake. ![]() The colossus stood strong for 53 years until an earthquake struck Rhodes in 225 B.C. Furthermore, the colossus was likely located inland near the center of town. Instead, the statue was probably sculpted in the classical Greek style with both legs planted solidly under his shoulders and some sort of base for support. Even more telling, the bustling port city of Rhodes wouldn't have been able to support its people with the harbor out of commission during the statue's erection. For one thing, Chares didn't have the knowledge, materials or skills to support the weight of a statue in this position. While there are plenty of accounts and illustrations that support this theory (some suspiciously from the Middle Ages, centuries after the statue had been destroyed), it's unlikely that the colossus would have stood over the harbor. Legends say that he stood over the harbor, one leg on either side forming a majestic tunnel. And some accounts testify that its face was modeled after Alexander the Great's. Judging from written accounts, scholars have proposed that it was a standing figure holding a torch in one hand. No one knows for sure what the colossus looked like or where it was located on the island. Three Lions/Hulton Archives/ Getty Images
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |