Figure of a Mourning Siren

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A fragmentary Hellenistic siren, believed to be part of a larger funerary monument, stands as a poignant representation of mourning. Measuring 7.3 x 7.1 x 4.9 cm in size, this limestone carving is still imbued with vivid colors that have resisted the test of time, thanks to the application of advanced technical analysis techniques. The Yale University Art Gallery's Ancient Art Collection proudly houses this artifact, cataloged as 2001.28.11. This siren figure took center stage at the Yale University Art Gallery from November 9, 2018, to March 3, 2019, as part of the exhibit "Sights and Sounds of Ancient Ritual," where it was featured in a special installation called "Seeing Blue in the Ancient World." The digital preservation team at Yale's Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage worked tirelessly to capture high-resolution scans of this piece. Led by Digital Imaging Specialist Chelsea Alene Graham, Conservation Assistant III Andrés Garcés utilized state-of-the-art equipment like the Artec Space Spider and Artec Studio Professional software in 2018 to achieve a remarkable level of detail at 0.3 mm resolution.