Carved around 560 BC from a single massive block of fine Naxian marble, the Sphinx of Naxos, a 2.2 meter (7.2 feet) tall mythical creature, features the serene head of an archaic woman, the powerful body of a lion, and the beautifully stylized wings of a bird. Sent as a lavish offering by the wealthy island of Naxos, it originally stood atop a soaring 12-meter-high Ionic column right next to the Temple of Apollo, serving as a fierce guardian of the sanctuary and a bold declaration of Naxian political and economic dominance.