Kerameikos steles
The Kerameikos steles are a collection of sculptures used as grave-markers (
History
The first steles were dated from the
Styles
Athenians used Kerameikos for centuries to bury their dead. Over time different styles were introduced so there is a great variety of graves that came from Kerameikos. Notable styles found in Kerameikos include the naiskos stele, lekythos graves, and kore.[5] Some grave-markers in Kerameikos were set with high bases for sculptures that could be seen from afar, such as the burial monument of Dionysios of Kollitos or the recumbent bull in the British Museum.[6]
Graves were inscribed with the name of the deceased and where they came from.
Some steles at Kerameikos used a style known as naiskos ("small temple"), which looks like a temple with columns and a pediment at the top. This particular symbol of wealth gained popularity in the 5th century B.C. examples include the Grave Stele of Dexileos, the Funerary naiskos of Demetria and Pamphile, and the Grave Stele of Hegeso.
Notable burials and graves
After the Battle of Chairon and Thibrachos,
The Grave Stele of Hegeso is one of the best-preserved surviving attic stele and features a woman seated by her servant. This grave is a naiskos, meaning Hegeso was likely a prominent woman as this style signified wealth and importance.[7]
Locations
Today, the Kerameikos grave monuments can be found at the Kerameikos Archaeological Museum, where many of them are preserved and kept on display.
References
- ^ JSTOR 498389.
- JSTOR 147539.
- JSTOR 146860.
- JSTOR 10.3764/aja.120.3.0333.
- ^ JSTOR 30104502.
- ^ British Museum Collection
- ^ Mitchell, L.M.W. (1905). A History of Ancient Sculpture. New York: Dodd, Mead, & Co. pp. 499–501.