Marble Sphinx on a Cavetto Capital

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This imposing sphinx once topped the towering grave shaft of a young man named Philinos or Thalinos. These two belong to the earliest type of grave stele crafted in Attica during the sixth century B.C. Stylistically, the sphinx bears a striking resemblance to early statues like the kouros (youth) showcased in the gallery to your left. It boasts the same four-sided structure with intricate grooved patterns that evoke anatomical forms and large, flat, stylized features. In the early Archaic period, Greek sculptors picked up valuable skills from the Egyptians on carving massive stone monuments. The simple concave form of this capital cleverly imitates the cavetto molding commonly found in Egyptian architecture.