Marble head of an athlete

Did you know that most of the Greek sculptures we know now are in fact Roman copies? Greek originals didn't survive because they were made of bronze, which was a very valuable and useful material in times of war. The Marble head of an athlete is a copy of a Greek bronze statue from around 450–425 BC.

This head of a youth wearing a fillet (band) must have belonged on a statue of a victorious athlete. He probably rested one arm lightly on his head; the remains of a rectangular support can still be seen among his curls. Roman copies often conformed to contemporary taste, and the contrast between polished flesh and deeply drilled hair on this head would have held special appeal for clients in the second century AD.

P.S. Speaking of athletes ... you can see how ancient Greek artists celebrated athletes in art!

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