Plaster Cast Frieze: Grave Stele of Aristion

Missing palmette, top of the helmet, and tip of the beard. The latter two were sculpted separately and added to the stele. Tall and narrow with a light frame, the stele was joined with lead to its rectangular base. The deceased is represented as a hoplite, bearded, facing right with a light chiton, linen-based breastplate, helmet and greaves. In his left hand he grasps a spear, the other hand hangs down, and his feet are bare. Inscribed with “Aristionos,” the genitive case of the name of the deceased “Aristion” and “the work of Aristokles.” This sculptor’s name is also inscribed on the base of a grave statue found in the remains of the Themistoklean fortification wall of Athens. This inscription is in Greek but the dead man’s name is written in Karian letters.

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