Grave Stele, 5th century BCE
Ancient Greekexpand_more
Pentellic marbleexpand_more
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fundexpand_more 31.4
Not on Viewexpand_more
This gravestone, or stele, came from a street of tombs known as the Kerameikos, which lies immediately outside the walls of Athens. The inscription identifies the man as Philomelos and the woman as Plathane. Unlike the funereal art of many other civilizations, Greek monuments emphasized life rather than death—the memory of the dead in the minds of the living. Carved in low relief, the couple is shown either in the act of departing from one another in this world or greeting one another in the next, united forever in death by the affectionate gesture of their touching hands.
Details
- Title
- Grave Stele
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 31.4
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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