Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis
Greek, Hellenistic, ca. 300 B.C.
H. 142 1/8 in. (361 cm)

The section of a fluted Ionic column in the center of this room
stood over fifty-eight feet high in its original location at the
Temple of Artemis. The delicate foliate carving on the capital is
unique among extant capitals from the temple, and the torus (foliated base),
with its vegetal scale-like pattern, is also exceptionally elaborate.
This capital is slightly smaller than others found at this site,
indicating that it does not belong to the outer colonnade. Two similar
pairs of columns stood in the east and west porches. The column,
displayed here with most of the shaft omitted, was probably originally
from one or more of those pairs. Alternatively, it may be from the cella
(inner room) or from the inner back porch. Parts of the fluted shaft are
restored, and the profiled base below the torus is a copy of the original.

from: smugmug