Throughout the Classical Age, gravesites were marked with carved stones that gave clues to the deceased's rank and position in life. These stele depicted men and women the way they...
Throughout the Classical Age, gravesites were marked with carved stones that gave clues to the deceased's rank and position in life. These stele depicted men and women the way they wished to be remembered for all eternity. This charming example is part of a visual tradition that stretches back to Archaic Greece. It depicts a young hunter on horseback, accompanied by his dog. Ownership of horses and the sport of hunting were normally the privileges of the wealthy and noble elite, so it seems likely that this is the stele of a young provincial aristocrat. There is no legible inscription (it may have been painted on) so we will never know his name. Yet, whenever we look upon this memorial stone, we will remember his passage through the world.