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The Telephus Frieze narrates the life of Telephus, son of Herakles - one of the heroes of Greek mythology.
It was created in the first half of the 2nd century BC, as part of the Pergamon Altar, the center piece of the Acropolis of the ancient Greek town of Pergamon.
The artwork was revolutionary for its time and marked a significant shift in the art of relief sculptures. For the first time, figures were staggered in depth, architectural elements were used to indicate activities taking placed indoors, and landscapes were depicted lush and scenic.
The frieze tells the story of Telephus' life from his birth over his travels to Asia minor to all the battles he fought there.
Between 1878 and 1886, the German engineer Carl Humann, in partnership with the Turkish government, began official excavations in Pergamon. While most of the unearthed structures remained in place, it was agreed, that the altar would become the property of the Berlin museums. Thus all surviving panels of the frieze were shipped to Berlin where they were inspected and restored by Italian archaeologists and put on display in the Pergamon Museum.
The frieze is 5.2 feet (1.58m) high and originally consisted of 74 panels, of which 47 survived.
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Telephus consults the Oracle of Delphi
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