The Eastern pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia depicts the tale of Pelops just before the chariot race [1] wherein he kills the king Oenomaus in order to win the hand of his daughter Hippodamia. [2]

Pelops complies by burying his ashes magnificently; he raises a mound to erect a temple dedicated to Apollo, which he names Apollo Cillaeus, and also founds a city besides the mound and the temple which he also names Cilla, after his charioteer and friend.

The temple housed the renowned statue of Zeus, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue was approximately 13 m (43 ft) high, and was made by the sculptor Phidias in his workshop on the site at Olympia.

Pausanias (Paus. 5.10.8) identifies the subject of the East Pediment as the chariot race between Oenomaos, King of Pisa, and Pelops, a suitor of Oenomaos' daughter Hippodameia. He adds that the race has not yet begun.

Nov 8, 2021 · Pelops and Oinomaos stand centrally, flanked by kneeling figures offering service to the main characters. Next are seated figures central to the myth but not playing an active part in the scene in question and reclining figures who are disinterested spectators.

Mar 22, 2019 · Pausanias wrote down the names of the main figures of myth that he saw sculpted, in their unfragmented reality, into the east and the west pediments of the temple of Zeus in Olympia.

In Greek mythology Pelops was a king of the Elean city of Pisa and the eponymous overlord of the western Peloponnesos--the so-called Island of Pelops. The young Pelops came to Greece from Lydia to compete for the hand of Hippodamia, daughter of King Oenomaus of Pisa.

Mar 28, 2022 · It is the head of a male figure sculpted into the center of the west pediment. §2. This sculpted male figure, in its entirety, is exceptionally well preserved. Nowadays, the general opinion of archaeologists and classicists is that we see here a representation of the god Apollo.

At the far end stood the chryselephantine statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, created by Pheidias c. 430 BC. The statue, believed to have been over twelve metres high, is described by Pausanias (V, 11) and depicted on ancient coins.

The east pediment depicted the chariot race between Pelops and Oinomaos, presided by Zeus, master of the sanctuary, whose figure dominated the composition. The west pediment depicted the battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs, arranged round the central figure of Apollo.