Presentation on ancient Greek Funeral Sculpture for Year 11 and 12 Ancient Civilisations class. Examples of funeral sculpture from the archaic and classical periods. Research tasks at the end.

1. FUNERARY SCULPTURE
SOME EXAMPLES

2. IMPORTANT TERMS
Stelai: plural form of ‘funeral sculpture’
Stele: singular form
Kouros: male version of archaic sculpture
Volute: a spiral, scroll-like ornament (common in Ionic order)
Finial: an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature.
Strigil: scraper used to remove dirt and sweat from skin
Epitaph: a phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an
inscription on a tombstone
Dexiosis: a handshake between the deceased and living family members

3. Moschophoros, or Calf-bearer
Archaic,570 – 560 BCE
• Acropolis Museum, Athens – excavated from the Acropolis
• Original sculpture
• Mature male figured, nudity somewhat obscured by a cloak.
Seems to represent the dedicator himself, who is named on
the base as Rhonbos.
• Pose essentially kouros – individuality: beard, cloak and calf.
• Symbolic representation of the man – not a literal portrait.
Tradition.
• Tentatively linked to sculptor Phaidimos.
• Around the time of Solon’s reforms that promoted the roles of
artisans.
• Inscription reads: “Rhonbos, son of Palos, dedicated it.”

4. Sphinx from Spata
Archaic,
570 BCE
• Featured on top of a grave monument.
• Sphinx = In Greek tradition, it has the head of a
human, the haunches of a lion, and sometimes
the wings of a bird.
• Guardians of the dead.

5. Kroisos of Anavyssos
Archaic, 530 – 520 BCE
• In National Archaeological Museum, Athens.
• Separated fragments – reconstructed with plaster
• Traditional kouros pose
• Used as grave marker
• Traces of red colour in his hair, irises and pubic hair

6. Archaic
525 BCE
• From a pair of volutes
• Great delicate detail
• Crowning element missing – likely
a sphinx
• Discovery of these two pieces
close together raises possibility
they both belonged to the same
stele

7. Classical, 450 – 440 BCE

8. Eupheros Stele
Classical, 420 – 410 BCE
• Eupheros Stele, found in the Kerameikos in 1964
along with a wooden sarcophagus and intact
skeleton (supposedly of a 9 – 10 year old child)
• Paint remnants. – surface painted blue, with a
red base.
• Suggested Kritio Boy sculptor.
• Athlete holding strigil. Speaks of his strength,
ability and honour as a young Greek but also to
his citizenship.
• Ideals of a democratic citizen.

9. Stele of Mnesagora and
Nikochares
Classical, 420 – 410 BCE
• National Archaeological Museum, Athens.
• Image of a deceased young girl and boy. Thought
to be brother and sister.
• Holding a bird out to her brother. Boy is
proportionately large, perhaps to show that the
girl is also small/young.
• Inscription on top.

10. Grave Stele of Hegeso
Classical, 410 – 400 BCE
• National Archaeological Museum, Athens.
• Most likely from Kerameikos, Athens.
• Hegeso seated with servant. Servant is most
showing Hegeso a box, out of which she is
examining something
• Precious possession in life?
• Attributed to sculptor Kallimachos.
• Restored on the edges
• Above inscription: “Hegeso, daughter of Proxenos”

11. Grave Stele of Hedylos
Classical,
400 – 390 BCE
• Standing youth holding a
bird.
• Small monument, just
under a metre tall.
• Traces of red paint on
background of image.
• Inscription reads:
‘Hedylos, son of Philokles
of Prospalta.’

12. Grave Monument of
Ampharete
Classical, 400 – 375 BCE
• Well-known grave monument found in
Kerameikos.
• Shows a seated woman holding a baby.
• Rare inscription that sheds light on the meaning
of the scene: My daughter’s beloved child is the
one I hold here, the one that I hold on my lap
while we looked at the light of the sun when we
were alive and that I still hold, now that we are
both dead.

13. Late Classical, 360 BCE
• No inscriptions because framing is missing.
• Both figures on the right stare off into space and
the figure on the left looks down at them as if
she is invisible. Do they mourn their daughter?
Does she mourn her dead father? Or is she the
sole survivor?
• Intense though restrained feeling of family unity.
Touching of figures shows intimacy/family.

14. Stele of Lysistrate
Classical,350 – 325 BCE
• Inscription: Lysistrate Panathenais.
• Example of Handshake.

15. TASK
You have some choices of small research tasks to complete for the rest of the lesson. Work
through them in your order of interest.
1. Research the significance of birds in ancient Greek funerary sculpture
2. Research the significance of the handshake in ancient Greek funerary sculpture
3. Research detailed examples of inscriptions such as feature on the Grave Monument of
Ampharete
4. Research depictions of family in ancient Greek funerary sculpture and their significance
5. Research the formulas for epitaphs and the significance of why they were written in such
formula
6. See if you can find examples of other common motifs in Greek funerary sculpture
MAKE NOTES – I will ask for people to share their findings at the end of the lesson.