DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9177#0082
62
PRINCIPLES OF GREEK ART
CHAP.
painted vases of the so-called Dipylon style, adorned with
roughly drawn scenes from the daily life of the people, or the
procession to- the burying-place, and decorated with rude de-
signs of geometrical pattern, vases destined to receive the offer-
ings brought at set seasons to the tomb. Somewhat later,
when the spirit which prompted the growth of Greek sculpture
had begun to stir, there would be set up upon or beside the
mound a marble slab as a more articulate memorial. This
marble slab, perhaps at first a mere unadorned mark of inter-
ment, naturally tempted the sculptor, and by the end of the
sixth century was commonly decorated with reliefs, representing
the deceased in some characteristic occupation. From such
simple beginnings spread the whole cycle of statues and reliefs
which made the cemetery of Athens in the classic age a museum
of artistic monuments.
Through the later fifth and the fourth centuries the splendour
of sculptured Athenian tombs went on increasing. Expensive
memorials, such as in the days of the Persian wars were re-
served for groups of men who had fallen in battle, or citizens
who had greatly distinguished themselves, were later set up as
an outlet for the affection of surviving family or friends. Cicero
gives us a brief, and no doubt an accurate, summary of Athenian
legislation in the matter.1 " Shortly after the time of Solon, on
account of the increasing size of tombs, such as we see in the
cemetery of the Ceramicus, a law was passed that no tomb should
be set up of greater elaboration than such as ten men could
accomplish in three days. Nor was such tomb to be adorned
with plaster-work, nor were Hermae, as they are called, to be
placed on it, nor were inscriptions in praise of the dead to be
engraved save in the case of public tombs, and by one designed
by public authority. . . . Demetrius (Phalereus), however, tells
us that presently the splendour of funerals and tombs became
fashionable to the same degree as is now the way at Rome. He
> De legibus, II., 20.
PRINCIPLES OF GREEK ART
CHAP.
painted vases of the so-called Dipylon style, adorned with
roughly drawn scenes from the daily life of the people, or the
procession to- the burying-place, and decorated with rude de-
signs of geometrical pattern, vases destined to receive the offer-
ings brought at set seasons to the tomb. Somewhat later,
when the spirit which prompted the growth of Greek sculpture
had begun to stir, there would be set up upon or beside the
mound a marble slab as a more articulate memorial. This
marble slab, perhaps at first a mere unadorned mark of inter-
ment, naturally tempted the sculptor, and by the end of the
sixth century was commonly decorated with reliefs, representing
the deceased in some characteristic occupation. From such
simple beginnings spread the whole cycle of statues and reliefs
which made the cemetery of Athens in the classic age a museum
of artistic monuments.
Through the later fifth and the fourth centuries the splendour
of sculptured Athenian tombs went on increasing. Expensive
memorials, such as in the days of the Persian wars were re-
served for groups of men who had fallen in battle, or citizens
who had greatly distinguished themselves, were later set up as
an outlet for the affection of surviving family or friends. Cicero
gives us a brief, and no doubt an accurate, summary of Athenian
legislation in the matter.1 " Shortly after the time of Solon, on
account of the increasing size of tombs, such as we see in the
cemetery of the Ceramicus, a law was passed that no tomb should
be set up of greater elaboration than such as ten men could
accomplish in three days. Nor was such tomb to be adorned
with plaster-work, nor were Hermae, as they are called, to be
placed on it, nor were inscriptions in praise of the dead to be
engraved save in the case of public tombs, and by one designed
by public authority. . . . Demetrius (Phalereus), however, tells
us that presently the splendour of funerals and tombs became
fashionable to the same degree as is now the way at Rome. He
> De legibus, II., 20.