Siphnian Treasury

The Siphnian Treasury was a building at the Ancient Greek cult center of Delphi, erected to host the offerings of the polis, or city-state, of Siphnos. It was one of a number of treasuries lining the "Sacred Way", the processional route through the Sanctuary of Apollo, erected to win the favor of the gods and increase the prestige of the donor polis. It was one of the earlier surviving buildings of this type, and its date remains a matter for debate, with the most plausible date being around 525 BC. Until recently it was often confused or conflated with the neighboring Cnidian Treasury, a similar but less elaborate building, as the remains of the two had become mixed together and earlier theoretical reconstructions used parts of both.

The people of Siphnos had gained enormous wealth from their silver and gold mines in the Archaic period (Herodotus III.57) and used the tithe of their income to erect the treasury, the first religious structure made entirely out of marble. The building was used to house many lavish votive offerings given to the priests to be offered to Apollo.

The Treasury fell to ruins over the centuries, although it stood for much longer than many other monuments, probably due to its decoration which was venerated by the following generations. Currently, the sculpture and a reconstruction of the Treasury are able to be seen in the Delphi Archaeological Museum.

The treasury is important in that it shows a transition from the styles of Archaic Greek art to the beginning of the styles of Classical Greek art. If the dating is correct, then the treasury would have been made between the end of the Archaic period and the beginning of the Classical period. The stiffness and lack of movement of the figures at the east pediment, common features in Archaic art, are then slowly changed at the friezes to make the figures more fluid and dynamic.