1. The ancient Greek philosopher Xenophanes (570–480 BC) concluded from fossil sea shells that some areas of land were once under water.

2. Later Xenophanes of Colophon described the Aethiopians as black and the Persian troops as white compared to the sun-tanned skin of Greek troops.

3. ‘Pursuing a theme of Archaic poetry, Xenophanes is the first to reflect systematically on the distinction between human opinion or guesswork and certain knowledge.’ ‘Vamedoe, in analysing ‘Boy Leading a Horse’, says the work had a kind of rigidity that made one think of the early Archaic Greek sculptures of youth or adolescence.’