Polyxena sarcophagus

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Polyxena sarcophagus
Relief of the sacrifice of Polyxena, Polyxena sarcophagus, Çanakkale Archaeological Museum.
MaterialMarble
Created520–500 BCE
Present locationTroy Museum, Turkey
Kızöldün tumulus is located in Turkey
Kızöldün tumulus
Kızöldün tumulus
Hoplites
on the Polyxena sarcophagus

The Polyxena sarcophagus is a late 6th century BCE

Daskyleion, the capital of Hellespontine Phrygia.[1]

This is the earliest stone sarcophagus with figural reliefs ever found in

Late Archaic Greek and the sarcophagus dates to the last two decades of the 6th century BCE (520–500 BCE),[2][3] or slightly later (500–490 BCE), based on stylistic analysis.[4]

The reliefs represent a funerary celebration on three of its sides, and on the back what is believed to be the sacrifice of

Neuptolemos in front of the tomb of his father Achilles.[2][5]

The description of the sacrifice of Polixena may be suggestive of a hero cult for Achilles, usually only involving animal sacrifice, on the spot of a Troad tumulus where he may have been buried.[5] Strabo (13.1.32) suggested that such a cult of Achilles existed in Troad:[6][7]

Near the

Anthlochus. The Ilienses perform sacred ceremonies in honour of them all, and even of Ajax. But they do not worship Hercules, alleging as a reason that he ravaged their country.

— Strabo (13.1.32).[8]

The men shown in the reliefs are Greek, while the women are Trojans.[9]

  • Side view.
    Side view.
  • Side view.
    Side view.
  • The sacrifice of Polyxena on the eponymous sarcophagus
    The sacrifice of Polyxena on the eponymous sarcophagus
  • The sacrifice of Polyxena on the eponymous sarcophagus (detail).
    The sacrifice of Polyxena on the eponymous sarcophagus (detail).
  • The sacrifice of Polyxena and tomb of Achilles.
    The sacrifice of Polyxena and tomb of Achilles.
  • Sacrifice of Polyxena and tomb of Achilles with a tripod in front.[7]
    Sacrifice of Polyxena and tomb of Achilles with a tripod in front.[7]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polyxena sarcophagus.

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9780521762076
    .
  2. ^ a b c d Çanakkale Archaeological Museum notice
  3. ISBN 9781421403618
    .
  4. ISBN 9780521762076
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 9781421403618
    .
  6. ISBN 9781421403618
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 9780521762076
    .
  8. ^ "Perseus Under Philologic: Str. 13.1.32".
  9. ISBN 9780521762076
    .

Further reading
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