This artifact is an architectural model representing Ancient Olympia during the classical period, approximately from the 5th-century B.C. to the 4th-century A.D. The model utilises materials such as painted stitched wood and clay, signifying the requirement of technical skill for its recreation.
The model displays an array of buildings representative of the political and cultural core of this influential civilization. It exhibits features like The Temple of Zeus, the Palaestra, and the Prytaneion, among others, giving viewers an inclusive overview of Ancient Olympia's structural layout and characteristics.
The Temple of Zeus, a major feature of the model, is intricately detailed, including a reworked presentation of the edifice's prominent statue of Zeus. This particular statue, historically recorded as forty-foot high, was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The model includes a scaled-down reproduction of the original, complete with gold and ivory design aspects.
Structures assigned to sports, such as the Palaestra and Gymnasium, are effectively demonstrated, with the former's distinct squared design—a central sandpit framed by columned spaces—evident. The Gymnasium exhibits the facilities for track training, while an interpretation of the hippodrome, initially used for horse and chariot racing, is included despite the lack of existing physical remains.
The model also showcases living quarters, like the Prytaneion where the priests and officials resided. The celebrated Altis Walls and treasuries, built during the same era by various city-states, are represented, underlining the religious significance of this location.
