Atlas Carrying the Heavens Statue

 

Atlas, a mighty Titan in Greek mythology, was condemned by Zeus to hold up the sky (or heavens) for eternity as punishment for leading the Titans in their war against the Olympians (the Titanomachy). Often depicted with a globe, he symbolizes endurance and is associated with astronomy, having taught mankind to navigate by the stars. He features in myths involving the hero Heracles, who tricked Atlas into taking the sky back after fetching golden apples, and was later turned into the Atlas Mountains by Perseus.