Medusa was the mortal one of the three Gorgon sisters, the daughters of the sea deities Phorcys and Ceto. Once a beautiful woman and the envious hope of many suitors, Medusa was punished by Athena for sleeping with Poseidon in her temple. She transformed Medusa into a monster with a terrifying appearance and the deadly capacity to turn whoever looked upon her face to stone.
Gorgon of Paros is a marble statue at the Archaeological Museum of Paros. She holds a snake which is also wrapped around her waist and has a torso of scales. The statue dates from the mid-6th century BCE and is believed to be the first example of the Gorgon as a statue. It was discovered on the island of Paros inside an ancient public building.