Type of freestanding statue of a maiden (the female counterpart of the kouros ) that appeared with the beginning of Greek monumental sculpture ( 0441; 700 BC) and remained to the end of the Archaic period ( 0441; 500 BC).
Carved from marble and originally painted, the kore is a draped female figure standing erect with feet together or one foot slightly advanced. One arm is often extended, holding an offering; the other is lowered, usually clasping a fold of drapery. As in all Greek art, the kore evolved from a highly stylized form to a more naturalistic one. Its prototypes are found in Egyptian and Mesopotamian art.