Salazar Slytherin

Appearance: In CS17, the statue of Slytherin was described as being “ancient and monkey-like.”
Based upon the image by Lightmaker from JKR’s website (shown here), Slytherin is gaunt with a long grey beard and pale grey eyes. Canon, or artistic license? Only Jo (and Lightmaker) know for sure.
Home: According to the Sorting Hat, Slytherin came from the fen. In the UK, fens are located in the eastern portion of England, East Anglia and in particular Norfolk which is North East of London.
Skills: Slytherin was one of the first recorded Parselmouths and an accomplished Legilimens (JKR).
Artifacts: A heavy gold locket carrying Salazar Slytherin’s mark (an ornate serpentine “S”). The locket was inherited by Merope Gaunt Riddle, pawned during her pregnancy to Borgin and Burkes, purchased by Hepzibah Smith, and subsequently stolen by Tom Riddle upon Smith’s murder (HBP20).
Possibly also a clumsily-made gold ring with the Peverell coat-of-arms carved into the black stone (HBP4, HBP10, HBP17, HBP23) (see Horcruxes page for more information).
Device: Snake.
Colors: Green and silver.
Salazar Slytherin believed that only pure-blood witches and wizards should be allowed to attend Hogwarts. He got into an argument with Godric Gryffindor about this and eventually left the school. There was a legend that Slytherin built a secret chamber somewhere in Hogwarts that only his true heir would be able to open. This chamber, called the Chamber of Secrets, contained a monster that would finish his “noble purpose” of killing all the Muggle-born students at Hogwarts. As Slytherin’s heir, Tom Riddle did open the Chamber and released the monster, a basilisk. Harry Potter defeated the basilisk with the help of Fawkes the phoenix and the sword of Gryffindor (CS).
Harry Potter has many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students: Parselmouth — resourcefulness — determination — a certain disregard for rules.