siphnian treasury

ionic frieze

a continuous band just below the roof level on an ionic temple, on most temples runs all the way around the temple

siphnian treasury at delphi dated to

525 BC

Who set up the Ionic order treasury, where was it located, and in which sanctuary?

The island polis of Siphnos set it up along the Sacred Way within the Panhellenic sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi.
💡 Memory Tip: Picture a golden path (Sacred Way) leading from Siphnos to Apollo’s temple at Delphi—like a treasure trail.

How was the treasury funded?

It was funded by a tithe (tax) from silver and gold mines on Siphnos.
💡 Memory Tip: Imagine miners digging silver and gold and a portion magically levitating towards the temple—symbolizing the tithe.

What materials were used in the treasury’s construction?

• Superstructure: Siphnian marble

• Borders: Naxian marble

  • Architectural sculpture (frieze, pediments, and caryatids): Parian marble
    💡 Memory Tip: S-N-P (Siphnian, Naxian, Parian)—like a smooth natural progression of different marbles.

What are Caryatids, and where were they placed?

They are two sculpted marble columns in the form of women, placed at the Western entrance.
💡 Memory Tip: Visualize two elegant women (Caryatids) standing as guardians at a grand Western doorway.

What does the East Pediment depict, and what material was used?

It is made of Parian marble and depicts Herakles attempting to steal Apollo’s tripod.
💡 Memory Tip: Imagine Herakles wrestling a sacred tripod under an Eastern sunrise, as if battling for divine knowledge.

What are the measurements and characteristics of the Ionic frieze?

• Material: Parian marble slabs in deep relief

• Height: 0.64m

• Length:

  • North & South sides: 8.6m

    • East & West sides: 6.2m
      💡 Memory Tip: Picture a belt (frieze) around a building, with longer and shorter sections—8.6m like stretched arms (North & South), 6.2m like folded arms (East & West).

What myths were depicted on each side of the frieze?

• North: Gigantomachy (battle of gods vs. giants over mount olympus) **************

• East: Trojan War (2 scenes trojan war = seated olympian gods having a debate and a dual between achilles and memnon) *************

• West: Judgement of Paris (event leading to Trojan War)

• South: An abduction (possibly Helen or Persephone)
  💡 Memory Tip: “Great Titans Jump Around” (G-T-J-A) to recall Gigantomachy, Trojan War, Judgement of Paris, Abduction.

What are the measurements of the frieze?

• Height: 0.64m

• East side length: 6.2m

• North side length: 8.6m
  💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a short vertical ruler (0.64m) marking the height, then two stretched-out measuring tapes for the 6.2m (East) and 8.6m (North) sides.

unusual orientation

west east