The colossal kouros of Samos is remarkable in many ways – it’s sheer size (nearly 5.3 meters tall), relatively recent date of discovery (body in 1980 and head in 1984), the benign ‘archaic smile’ on his lips, and the soft quality of his flesh – a counterpoint to the almost architecturally structured kouroi of mainland Greece.
But what really stands out to me is the marble chosen. It’s a grayish (presumably local) stone with strong veining in a darker grey. The soft contours of the buttocks, abdomen, chest and thighs are all emphasized by the natural stone and this can hardly have been accidental.
Little is known about who carved or dedicated him, and the inscription on his left thigh leaves rather more questions than answers. But certainly to behold this imposing youth could only have inspired awe in anyone traveling up Samos’ Sacred Way.
