Grave Stele of an Athenian Horseman

myminifactory

Funerary stelae were massive, rectangular structures often topped by pediments supported by columns. These stelae were originally painted and sometimes adorned with metal props such as spears to honor the deceased. In Classical Greece, funerary stelae showcased idealized portraits that conveyed the character and social standing of the dead through attributes depicted on the grave marker. Warriors were often shown in battle, while women were portrayed adorning themselves in jewelry. The reliefs on funerary stelae adhered to the stylistic characteristics of the Classical period, with well-modeled bodies and contrapposto poses if the figures were standing. Drapery was typically depicted in the wet-drapery style, revealing the form of the body beneath. This stele features a horse and two men, highlighting the utility of Greek citizen-cavalry, which was limited by their heavy armor, metal helmet, mail coat, metal-fringed kilts, cuisses reaching to the knee, and leather leggings. They did not carry shields into battle but wielded a straight two-edged sword and a spear, used either as a lance or thrown as a javelin. Horseshoes and stirrups were unknown in ancient Greece, with saddles approximated by a saddle-cloth or a piece of felt firmly fastened under the horse's belly. This stele showcases a horse and two men.