Finial of a marble stele (grave marker)
Finely incised lines and traces of pigment attest to the vibrant decoration that once enhanced the upper part of this grave marker. A downward-facing palmette and zigzag pattern are still visible on the remaining fragments. The decorative motifs and distinctive color palette, with shades of red, blue or black, and yellow, are consistent with those in other Archaic Greek funerary sculpture. Grave markers with ornamentation painted directly on the flat surface of the stone were less expensive to produce than the elaborate relief carving of many other Attic funerary monuments.
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