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The Statue of Zeus at OlympiaThe enormous Statue of Zeus at Olympia in Greece was created by the great sculptor Pheidias. Zeus was the Greek god in whose honor the ancient Olympic games were held. He used thin plates of ivory (bone material from animals) over a wooden framework to create Zeus' flesh. The statue was moved by the Greeks to a palace in Constantinople, where in 462 A.D., it was destroyed by fire. While there were said to be some copies of the 13 m (43 ft) high statue made, one of the most famous being a large prototype at Cyrene in Libya, there are none that have survived to the present day. Much of our visual representation comes from ancient Greek coins bearing the statue's likeness. Continue... Mapping the Treasures | Empereur | Unforgettable Moments Seven Wonders | Resources | Guide | Transcript | Treasures Home Editor's Picks | Previous Sites | Join Us/E-mail | TV/Web Schedule About NOVA | Teachers | Site Map | Shop | Jobs | Search | To print PBS Online | NOVA Online | WGBH © | Updated November 2000 |