Torso of a kouros

myminifactory

Throughout the sixth century B.C., Greek artists created increasingly lifelike depictions of the human body. During this time, two primary types of freestanding sculptures dominated: the male kouros, a standing nude youth, and the female kore, a standing draped maiden. Placed in sanctuaries and cemeteries outside city walls, these large stone statues served as offerings to the gods or grave markers. Wealthy Athenian families often erected grand funerary monuments within the city limits and surrounding areas, particularly for family members who had died at a young age. Such monuments frequently took the form of stelai, often decorated in relief.