THE COMPLETE VIRTUAL 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF THE EAST PEDIMENT OF THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS AT OLYMPIA

Abstract. The arrangement of the five central figures of the east pediment of the temple of Zeus at Olympia has been the subject of scholarly debates since the discovery of the fragments more than a century ago. In theory, there are four substantially different arrangements, all of which have already been selected by certain scholars for various aesthetic, technical and other considerations. The present project tries to approach this controversy in a new way, by producing a virtual 3D reconstruction of the group. Digital models of the statues were produced by scanning the original fragments and by reconstructing them virtually. For this purpose an innovative new software (Leonar3Do) has also been employed. The virtual model of the pediment surrounding the sculptures was prepared on the basis of the latest architectural studies and afterwards the reconstructed models were inserted in this frame, in order to test the technical feasibility and aesthetic effects the four possible arrangements. The paper gives an overview of the entire work and presents the final results suggesting that two arrangements can be ruled out due to the limited space available in the pediment.