DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18216#0314
300
CATALOGUE OF SCULPTURE.
for the pleasure and sustenance of the dead. Such offer-
ings of food and drink made by the living at the tomb are-
common to all primitive peoples. The Egyptians, in
particular, made regular offerings of actual food, and at
the same time surrounded the mummy with sculptural
representations of offerings, which, it was thought, served
to satisfy the incorporeal double of the dead person. The
early notion that the deceased was within the tomb, and
enjoyed the food and drink offered to him in a material
manner, became less distinct in later times. The periodical
offerings assumed a more ritualistic and symbolic character,
and were celebrated by the Greeks under the name of
VCKVCTLa.
The older archaeologists thought for the most part that
the Banquet reliefs were representations commemorative
of life on earth, or descriptive of the pleasures enjoyed by
the dead in Hades. Dumont (Bev. Arch., n.s. xs. p. 247)
and Hollaender (J9e Opertbus Anaglyjphis), interpret them
as referring to the periodical offerings made at the tomb.
It will be seen that this view is not very different fiom
that which has been adopted above, and which is the
view of Gardner (Joum. of Hellenic Studies, v., p. 130), and
Furtwaengler (Coll. Sdbouroff, i., p. 28). The reliefs, how-
ever, have more force than mere pictorial groups, if we
accept the Egyptian analogy, and allow that the sculpture
represents, by substitution, the offerings of material food.
The snake is naturally associated with the grave, from its
rapid mysterious movements, and from living in caves and
holes. Compare the story of the snakes that were seen by
Folyeidos in the tomb of Glaukos. (Apollodor. 3, 3, 1 ;
Eoscher, Lexicon, p. 1687). The votive character of the
Banquet reliefs is proved in some instances by inscriptions,
(Joum. of Hellen. Studies, v., p. 116 ; Boscher, Lexicon,
p. 2553). It is doubtful, however, whether the artist
was always conscious of the meaning of his work, and in
CATALOGUE OF SCULPTURE.
for the pleasure and sustenance of the dead. Such offer-
ings of food and drink made by the living at the tomb are-
common to all primitive peoples. The Egyptians, in
particular, made regular offerings of actual food, and at
the same time surrounded the mummy with sculptural
representations of offerings, which, it was thought, served
to satisfy the incorporeal double of the dead person. The
early notion that the deceased was within the tomb, and
enjoyed the food and drink offered to him in a material
manner, became less distinct in later times. The periodical
offerings assumed a more ritualistic and symbolic character,
and were celebrated by the Greeks under the name of
VCKVCTLa.
The older archaeologists thought for the most part that
the Banquet reliefs were representations commemorative
of life on earth, or descriptive of the pleasures enjoyed by
the dead in Hades. Dumont (Bev. Arch., n.s. xs. p. 247)
and Hollaender (J9e Opertbus Anaglyjphis), interpret them
as referring to the periodical offerings made at the tomb.
It will be seen that this view is not very different fiom
that which has been adopted above, and which is the
view of Gardner (Joum. of Hellenic Studies, v., p. 130), and
Furtwaengler (Coll. Sdbouroff, i., p. 28). The reliefs, how-
ever, have more force than mere pictorial groups, if we
accept the Egyptian analogy, and allow that the sculpture
represents, by substitution, the offerings of material food.
The snake is naturally associated with the grave, from its
rapid mysterious movements, and from living in caves and
holes. Compare the story of the snakes that were seen by
Folyeidos in the tomb of Glaukos. (Apollodor. 3, 3, 1 ;
Eoscher, Lexicon, p. 1687). The votive character of the
Banquet reliefs is proved in some instances by inscriptions,
(Joum. of Hellen. Studies, v., p. 116 ; Boscher, Lexicon,
p. 2553). It is doubtful, however, whether the artist
was always conscious of the meaning of his work, and in