Corinth Object: S 518
Collection:   Corinth
Type:   Object
Name:   S 518
Title:   STYMPHALIAN BIRDS
Category:   Sculpture
Category Code:   S
Object Number:   518
Description:   The block represents 3 birds, in relief, who form the only known remains of Herakles' labor against the Stymphalian Birds. The birds are arranged one above the other in a scene which is put together from many fragments. The top bird is in flight, facing left, his right wing fully raised above his body. His oval wing feathers (12 preserved) each have central ridges carved in low relief, except for the upper 2 in the last row which are incised. His long, rounded body is covered with long feathers, arranged in rows, which curve in opposite directions in each row. The base of his left wing can be seen just above the middle bird. The fragment is broken at the base of the tail and neck, and the outer half of the right wing is missing. Another fragment, which does not, however, join with the previous, gives us the pointed wing tip and a small fragment of the tail. His feet, pulled halfway under his body, are hidden by the wing of the middle bird. The middle bird stands upright with one foot resting on the dead bird below, while its head rises in front of the upper bird's body. The front part of its beak is missing; its eye looks forward; its cheek bones and mouth are modelled. The pointed head rises from a long, cylindrical neck which curves gently upwards from its body. Its left wing is raised, as if preparatory to flight; it is carved in very high relief, and is deeply undercut. The right foot reaches forward, its 3 talons viciously outstretched. The tail falls back and to the right, inside facing out. The feathers of the wing and of the area just under the wing are oval and have 1 or 2 cental ridges modelled lightly. Feathers covering the neck, body and legs, are of the long, pointed variety, which are arranged in rows and curve alternately right or left. The widely spread talons of the latter's left foot rest on a third bird, of the same species, who must certainly be dead. The latter lies, wings folded, on the ground, his legs stretched straight behind him, his long neck curving down toward the plinth where his head must have rested. His feathers are arranged in a manner similar to the living birds, although since his wings are folded the long straight feathers at the end can be seen. The end of his tail appears just beneath the wing tip. The claws are quite short and tame, compared with the bird above. His chest, which is barely visible, has been only roughly picked. A continuous groove separates his body from the top surface of the plinth, which he barely touches. To right of the mid. bird, a long, curved groove must be a later mishap.
Mythology:   Labors of Hearkles
Material:   White, fine-grained marble.
Condition:   Fragment. Nine joining fragments. Restored: part of top of bird's wing and tail; midbird, most of wing, some tail part of each leg; bottom bird, small part of legs. Clamp cuttings: none preserved.
Manufacture:   Outer surface: claw ch., point under 2nd. wing, drill sep. bottom from plinth; plinth claw, point reverse unknown, (rough picked - Capps 'Labors').
Dimensions Actual:   Th. relief ground 0.058, Th. max. relief ca. 0.072, Depth plinth 0.080, H. plinth 0.040, H. middle bird 0.500, W. body 0.141, L. tail 0.200, W. bottom bird 0.160, L. weapon 0.130, W. 0.015
Dimensions Preserved:   W. 0.650, L. top border, L. top bird 0.322, L. bottom bird 0.462
Dimensions Restored:   H. 0.828
Period:   2nd c. A.C.
Chronology:   2nd quarter of 2nd c. A.C. according to Corinth IX p.4-5
Bibliography:   Corinth IX, p.132, n. 276; Corinth IX, ii, H 4-1; Capps, Classical Studies, fig. 5, p. 56-57.
Site:   Corinth
City:   Ancient Corinth
Country:   Greece
References:   Publication: Sturgeon, Corinth 9:2, 1977
Image: bw 0375
Image: bw 2029
Notebook Page: NB 26, spread 25