The kouros type appears to have served several functions. It was previously thought that it was used only to represent the god Apollo, as attested by its depiction on a vase painting in the presence of supplicants. <span>This association with Apollo was supported by the description of the statue of the Pythian Apollo at Samos by Diodoros</span><span> as "Egyptian in style, with his arms hanging by his sides and his legs parted". However, not all kouroi are images of a deity; many have been discovered in cemeteries where they most likely served as commemorative tombstones of the deceased, also the type was used as a memorial for victors in the games (like trophies), kouroi were used as offerings to the gods, Pausanias describes the statue of </span>Arrhichion, an Olympic pankratiast, as in the kouros scheme),<span>and some kouroi have been found in sanctuaries other than that of Apollo.</span>
