Telamon

The telamons, colossal male figures approximately 7.60 meters high, are a distinctive architectural and sculptural element of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. These imposing figures, placed in the upper half of the intercolumniations of the pseudo-peristyle, or the external colonnade that surrounded the temple, played a fundamental role in supporting the structure. Their legs, in fact, acted as buttresses for the weight of the entablature, creating an alternation between the static function of the columns and the figurative value of these unique sculptures.
The interpretation of who was depicted in the telamons has been the subject of debate: some scholars believe that they represent the Carthaginian “barbarians” defeated in the battle of Himera in 480 BC, while others lean towards a depiction of the Atlanteans, mythological figures condemned by Zeus to hold up the weight of the sky.
The original location of the telamons has also been debated for a long time. During the 19th century, several hypotheses mistakenly placed them inside the temple, but more recent research has confirmed that they were located outside, positioned at a height of 13 meters from the stylobate, the base of the temple, and filled the spaces between the columns. The most important reconstructions of the telamons, made by archaeologists and architects, are on display in the hall.
One of the telamons was reassembled in 1825 by Raffaello Politi from original fragments found in situ; to protect it from the elements, it was then transferred to the museum, where it is currently on display. An exact cast of it has been placed where it originally stood. In addition to this figure, three other telamon heads are preserved and displayed in niches on the north wall of the room.
In recent years, other fragments belonging to other telamons have been found in the temple inside the valley, and one of them, restored and with the missing pieces replaced, has been returned to its original vertical position in situ.