Hellenistic gravestone

myminifactory

Aristocratic families of Attica construct lavish funerary monuments in private burial grounds along roadsides on their family estates or near Athens as early as the sixth century B.C. Many graves are crowned with relief sculptures, statues, and tall stelai topped with capitals and finials. Each monument features an inscribed base with an epitaph, often a poem that honors the deceased. A relief depicting a generalized image of the person sometimes highlights aspects of their life, accompanied by servants, possessions, or dogs. On early reliefs, it is easy to identify the deceased individual; however, during the fourth century B.C., family members begin to appear in scenes and many names are inscribed, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between the mourners and the deceased.