The Torturing of Marsyas at The Louvre, Paris

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In Greek mythology, Marsyas, a satyr, plays a pivotal role in two death-related stories: he picks up Athena's discarded double flute (aulos) and plays it; in another, he challenges Apollo to a music contest and loses his hide and life. In Antiquity, literary sources emphasize the hubris of Marsyas and the justice of his punishment. Marsyas' episodes are situated by mythographers in Celaenae (or Kelainai) in Phrygia, at the main source of the Meander river, today's town of Dinar in Turkey. When a genealogy is applied to him, Marsyas is considered the son of Olympus, who was either his father or pupil. In the contest between Apollo and Marsyas, the terms allow the winner to treat the loser as they see fit. With the Muses judging, Marsyas naturally loses and is flayed alive in a cave near Celaenae for challenging a god. Apollo then nails Marsyas' skin to a pine tree near Lake Aulocrene, which Strabo notes was full of reeds used to make pipes. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory that creates a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures and artworks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items, email stw@myminifactory.com to contribute.