Marble funerary stele

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Marble funerary monument (tombstone) from circa 350 - 323 BC, originating in Marion, Cyprus. The deceased man's head rises above the architectural framework of the stele, which takes on the form of a naiskos (miniature sanctuary). His rugged hair and beard echo contemporary and later portraits of poets and intellectuals; the downward tilt of his head and his steadfast gaze suggest his separation from the world of the living. Both the marble and the style of this monument are distinctly Athenian. It may have been brought to Cyprus ready-made from Athens. Alternatively, the carving could have been executed in Marion on a blank imported stele by a skilled Cypriot craftsman or a migrant Athenian sculptor. Gifted by the Cyprus Exploration Fund GR61890 3D scan created by Rosie Forrest using an Artec Leo scanner.