Colossus of the Naxians
The Colossus of the Naxians is a kouros statue made of Naxian marble which was about 9 metres high, now located in the Museum on Delos and originally from one of the islands of the Cyclades. The colossus is an example of archaic monumental sculpture and dates to the end of the seventh century BC. The colossus is one of the largest kouros statues yet known. Only the Kouros of Apollonas, which remains unfinished in the quarry at , is larger at 10.7 m tall. The Colossus of the Naxians is now broken into many pieces. Statue An inscription on the front of the base reported by Cyriacus of Ancona in the fifteenth century read "ΝΑΞΙΟΙ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙ" (Naxioi Apolloni, "The Naxians (dedicated this) to Apollo"), so the marble sculpture is probably of Apollo. Description The statue is broken into several parts. The base measures 3.48 x 5.08 metres, the upper torso is about 2.3 metres high and the lower torso is about 1.15 metres. The left foot, which is now kept in the British Museum is 0.57 metres long. There was a hole in the left hand to allow it to hold a bow. The head and the upper legs