Bronze Sculpture of Two Greek Wrestlers
source: Wikimedia Commons
author: Walters Art Museum
Description
A photograph shows a small bronze sculpture fashioned in the image of two nude wrestlers. One wrestler has picked the other up around the waist and appears to be throwing him to the ground.
Date
Artifact: 2nd century BC
Photo: March 2012
Information
This bronze Greek statuette, dated to the 2nd century BC, depicts two men likely competing in a palé (Greek wrestling) match. It is possible the original artist intended to depict the combat sport pankration, as the unrestrictive rules allowed for almost any kind of combat. Regardless of the sport, this likely depicts athletes at the ancient Olympic Games or one of the other Panhellenic games.
Related Articles
Greek Palé (Wrestling) | Greek Pankration | Ancient Olympic Games | Panhellenic Games
Young, D. C. (2004). A brief history of the Olympic games. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
Miller, S. G. (2006). Ancient Greek athletics. New Haven: Yale University Press.