Omphalos of Delphi at The Museum of Delphi, Greece

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The Omphalos of Delphi is a magnificent ancient marble monument unearthed at the archaeological site of Delphi in Greece. The Ancient Greeks widely believed that Delphi was the center of the world, and according to myth, it was founded by Zeus who launched two eagles from opposite ends of the globe. These birds, flying simultaneously at equal speeds, crossed paths above Delphi, marking the spot where Zeus threw a stone from the sky. This stone landed in Delphi, solidifying its reputation as the center of the world, the omphalos - "navel of the earth". The Omphalos took the same name and became a symbol of Apollo, the sacred Oracle, and the Delphi region. Excavators were puzzled by the marble-carved stone which made up part of the monument with the tripod and dancers. They couldn't decide if it was the original or a copy from Hellenistic and Roman times. In the 2nd century B.C., Pausanias traveled to Delphi, providing us with rare evidence through his work. The Omphalos stone appears to have been intricately decorated in high relief, featuring an oval shape. It's possible that in ancient times it was covered by a mesh of wool cloth and kept in the adyton (inner sanctum) beside the tripod and daphne (bay leaves), other sacred symbols of the god. As described by Pausanias, between the woolen cloth wrapped around the stone were precious stones shaped like mermaids, while two gilded eagles were fixed atop it. Recent studies conducted by French archaeologists have demonstrated that the Omphalos and columns are connected and interlocked. In other words, the stone navel was mounted on bronze tripods supported by three dancers at the top of the column. This is believed to be where the Omphalos has been placed until today, serving as a cover for the column to symbolically enhance its meaning and importance. The Athenians offered this copy of the original stone, combining both Delphi symbols, as a gift from the hands of three female figures of Athenian origin to placate and honor the god of light. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks for public access. This magnificent monument was scanned using photogrammetry (processed with Agisoft PhotoScan) as part of Scan The World's mission to provide free access to cultural heritage.