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# The Charioteer of Delphi, one of the most photographed statues in the world, sometimes called the Mona Lisa of Ancient Greece, was created between 470 and 466 BC and has survived to our day, or rather to its discovery in the spring of 1896, thanks to a la
- URL: https://theparnassian.com/en/delfiiskii-voznichii-odna-iz-samykh-fotografiruemykh-statui-v-mire-poroi-ego-nazyvaiut-monoi-lizoi-drevnei-gretsii-byl-sozdan-mezhdu-470-i-466-gg-do-n-e-i-sokhranilsia-do-nashikh-dnei-a/
- Published: 2022-12-03T18:52:39.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-01T05:37:27.000Z
- Author: Alexandr Radayev
- Tags: Archaeology, Art, Museums

The Charioteer of Delphi, one of the most photographed statues in the world, sometimes called the Mona Lisa of Ancient Greece, was created between 470 and 466 BC and has survived to our day, or rather to its discovery in the spring of 1896, thanks to a landslide brought down by the devastating earthquake of 373 BC. The Charioteer, together with the fragments of the quadriga whose reins are still preserved in his hands, remained buried beneath a heap of rock.

In all likelihood, had this masterpiece not suffered in that legendary catastrophe, which shook the whole of Greece, it would in due course have been melted down or carried off by the Romans along with other treasures; as is well known, an incredible number of Greek bronze statues shipped to Rome never reached the Italian shores on account of shipwrecks, and remained on the sea bed.

Modern research has established that the sculptural group was intended to commemorate the victory of the chariot of Polyzalos at the Pythian Games held at Delphi.