An Illustrated History of Discus

Discus throwing dates back to the ancient Greek Olympic Games, as depicted in this Fifth Century B.C. statue from the British Museum, "Discobolus," by the sculptor Myron. The Eighth Century B.C. poet Homer referred to discus throwing, which was a part of the Greeks' pentathlon event. The early discs were made of unwrought bronze and iron and were apparently heavier than today's competitive discus.