As a result of the great religious and political power acquired during the 6th century BC, the oracle was transformed into a place suitable for the display of wealth and potency by the powerful people of the time.

Around 560 BC, Naxos dedicated to Delphi a statue of a Sphinx surmounting an Ionic column. The Sphinx, the hybrid creature with the head of a woman, the body of a lion and majestic wings is associated with the Delphic sanctuary on account of the story of Oedipus, who encountered the creature upon his return from the oracle.

The so-called Treasuries were characteristic dedications in the form of a building; they were small elegant structures that resembled small temples, intended for the storage of precious offerings. Among them stood the particularly luxurious Ionic Treasury that was dedicated to the oracle by the Siphnians in 525 BC, a building admired for its decorative and sculptural wealth.