This is a slightly larger than life marble head depicting Zeus Ammon; it is originally Roman from the Imperial age ca. 120-160 A.D., said to have been discovered at the mouth of the Nile River. Zeus Ammon's sanctuary at the Oasis of Siwa in the Libyan desert was already famous when Alexander the Great made his pilgrimage there in 331 B.C. Alexander's visit to Siwa was a pivotal moment in the young king's extraordinary life. The details are shrouded in mystery, but legend has it that the oracle proclaimed him son of Zeus Ammon and answered Alexander's questions favourably, "to his heart's desire."

This powerful portrait of the god combines a classical Greek image of the bearded Zeus with the ram's horns of the Egyptian Ammon, an attribute with which Alexander himself was sometimes represented. It may reflect a sculpture created in Egypt following Alexander's historic visit to Siwa.

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.