Greece / Turkey (Pergamon, Attalid Dynasty)

Hellenistic Serpent Scale Relief Detail and Ornamental Morphology from the Pergamon Altar

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Hellenistic Period, Attalid Dynasty (2nd Century BCE), c. 166–156 BCE

A monumental high-relief marble fragment from the Pergamon Altar Gigantomachy frieze (c. 166–156 BCE) focusing on the coiled serpentine anatomy of a chthonic combatant — the individual scales arranged in strict, interlocking imbrication tiers that mimic metalwork or architectural shingles, with deep undercutting producing dramatic chiaroscuro between polished ridges and shadowed recesses.