Fragment of the marble stele (grave marker) of a youth

Greek, Attic

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 154


Instead of representing specific individuals, Archaic Greek funerary monuments depict idealized figures. Even attributes that might relate to aspects of a deceased person’s life contribute to creating a heroic version of them. Athletic equipment or weapons and armor—colorfully accented, as seen in the adjacent reconstruction of the stele of Aristion—allude to victory in battle or competition. The nude youth holding a spear on this grave marker could represent either a warrior or an athlete, both of which reflect the aristocratic ideals of the family who erected the monument. An inscription on the upper or lower part of the stele, no longer preserved, once revealed the identity of the deceased.

Fragment of the marble stele (grave marker) of a youth, Marble, Hymettian, Greek, Attic

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Fragment of the marble stele (grave marker) of a youth, Marble, Hymettian, Greek, Attic
Fragment of the marble stele (grave marker) of a youth, Marble, Hymettian, Greek, Attic

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