Cambridge breaks the mould with first UK cast of ancient statue

The enormous plaster version of the Samos Kouros is the only cast of this ancient statue in the UK and can be seen for free, along with more than 600 other casts, at the University's Museum of Classical Archaeology on Sidgwick Avenue.

Measuring 4.8 metres (15.7 feet) in height, the statue is three times human size and had to be lifted into the museum through an upstairs window by crane. It is so large that its head virtually touches the roof.

The original Samos Kouros dates back to 570BC and was discovered in 1980 on the Greek island of Samos, where it is still housed in an archaeological museum. Kouros is the Ancient Greek word for a male youth, and statues of naked men called kouroi were popular for a comparatively brief period in the 7th and 6th centuries BC.

Officially, a kouros was commissioned as an act of religious piety, but as they became bigger and more expensive to make, they were increasingly used as status symbols by wealthy Greeks. An inscription on the left thigh of the Samos Kouros tells us that it was dedicated to the goddess Hera by an Ionian nobleman called Isches.

John Donaldson, assistant curator at the Museum of Classical Archaeology, said: “Having a cast makes it possible to appreciate the sheer scale of this short-lived vogue in Ancient Greek art history for huge sculptures. Although it is here as a teaching resource we hope that as many people as possible will visit the museum to enjoy it.”

The earliest kouroi date from about 650BC. Originally they were made of wood and measured as little as six inches in height, but later forms were made of stone and marble – making them particularly popular on the islands of Paros and Samos, where marble was in great supply. As well as being dedicated to certain gods, some kouroi were put in cemeteries to mark the graves of prominent citizens.

The cast has been made available by the generous bequest of the late Professor Robert Cook, a former curator, and was made by specialist cast-makers in Italy. To mark its arrival, Dr Caroline Vout will be giving a public lecture about its history and discovery on Thursday, March 22 in room G19 at the Faculty of Classics on Sidgwick Avenue, followed by a reception in the Museum.

Families are also welcome to come to a special introductory event at the Museum on Saturday, March 24th. There will be talks for older visitors while children will be able to make a flip book of ancient statues to take home. The event will be held at the Museum, also on Sidgwick Avenue, from 11am to 1pm.