Erechtheion, see Palagia 1984. 34. In the Hellenistic period, niches were built inside tombs and used for the placement of funerary urns, e.g., in the Taurian ...
HESPERIA
7I (2002)
Pages 399-4I3
A
N
FU
EW
N
I NSCRI
E RARY
F ROM
Al
BED
MONUMENT G
I NA
AB STRACT This articlepresentsan ancientmonumentdiscoveredon Aiginain 1999. The monumentis remarkable forits unusualshape:a rectangular slabwitha pyramidal top, a two-lineinscription,anda deepnichewith dowelholesin the floorandbackwalls.I arguethatthe monumentis funeraryin function, andthatits peculiarfeaturesarerelatedto its primaryuse.The inscription givesa malenameanda patronymic, AristoukhosAristomeneos,andcanbe datedto the 4th centuryB.C. It is possiblethatAristomenes,the fatherof Aristoukhos, is the heroof Pindar'sPythian8.
1. I wouldliketo thankmany friendsandcolleaguesat theAmericanSchoolof ClassicalStudiesat Athenswho havelenttheirtimeand expertiseto the discussionof this monument: A. Ajootian,N. Bookidis, W.Closterman, C. Gray,J.Grossman, M.Langdon,C. Lawton,J.Morgan, M.Richardson, D. Romano, R.Stroud,M. Sturgeon,andC. Williams.I owespecialthanksto M. H. Jameson andH. Kritzas,whosehelpful commentsandsuggestionssavedme frommanyerrors.I wouldalsoliketo thankthe 2nd Ephorateof Prehistoric andClassicalAntiquities,andespecially itsdirector, GeorgeSteinhauer, for granting me permission to studyand publish thismonument.Finally,I am grateful to the anonymous reviewers of Hesperia fortheirrecommendations, whichI havetakento heart. 2. Thereis no sourceof marbleon Aigina,so the stonewouldnecessarily havebeenpurchased andbroughtfrom theoutside.
An ancientmonument discovered in 1999 on theislandof Aiginamerits attentionfor two reasons.lFirst,it displaysan unusualcombination of architectonic features: a pyramidal topcrowning a rectangular monolithic slab,anda deepnarrow nichecutinthefaceof theslab.Second,themonumentbearsaninscription, whichcouldbethefirstepigraphic evidenceon Aiginafortheclientsof Pindar's Aiginetanodes. THE MONUMENT Themonument wasfoundin thechurchof AgiosNikolaosin theareaof Kavouropetra, on thenorthern coastof Aigina,about2.5 km northeast of thetownof Aigina.It is setflushwiththeedgeof thethreshold insidethe churchandis 1.5 mhigh,0.48 mwide,and0.24 mthick,includingapyramidaltop thatbegins1.29 m fromthe bottomof the block(Figs.1-2). The stoneof the monumentis a medium-grained marble,grayishin color.2 A two-lineinscription on the smoothfrontfaceextendsfromleft to rightbelowthe top (Fig.3). A rectangular cutting0.08 m belowthe baseof thepyramidal topandroughlycenteredbetweenthelongsidesof themonument(0.115 m fromthe left edgeand0.12 m fromthe right) measures 0.66m in length,0.245 m inwidth,and0.225 m deep.Thebottomedgeof themonument is brokenofffrontto backattheleftandright. Thetipof thepyramidal topis cutoff,leavinga flatrectangle (L.0.08m, W.0.065 m)witha circular holein thecenter(Diam.0.015 m).Thehole
American School of Classical Studies at Athens is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to Hesperia ® www.jstor.org
4oo
I REN E PO LI N S KAYA
Figure1. Funerarymonumentof Aristoukhosinsidethe churchof Agios Nikolaos,Kavouropetra, Aigina.Photoauthor
Figure2. Funerarymonumentwith cleanedniche.Photoauthor
Figure3. Inscriptionon the funerary monument.Photoauthor
INSCRIBED FUNERARY MONUMENT FROM AIGINA
40I
its to determine sothatit is impossible is filledwithdebrisandwhitewash, originaldepth. The left andrightwallsof the cuttingareworkedsmoothsurfaces, In thebackwallof thenicheis a circurougher. buttheflooris somewhat goesthroughthe stone. edgesthatpresumably larholewithchipped-off vis-a-visthesides,andis located0.2 Thehole(Diam.0.02m)is centered in shape(L.0.065 mbelowtheceilingoftheniche.Anotherhole,elliptical m,W.0.035 m,D. 0.06 m),is cutintothefloorofthecutting,0.05 mfrom andslightlyoff center,0.093 m from the frontsurfaceof the monument theleft,and0.117m fromtherightwallof thecutting.The edgesof this hole slopeinwardandlookworn.In addition,the remainsof two iron nailscanbe seenin thewallsof theniche,closeto thebottom. is enoughto recognizeits unusual A singleglanceat thismonument form.To distinguishits primarydesignandpossiblesecondaryalterationswe needto considerthe five majorelementsof the monument's top,thecutting,theholesinshaft,thepyramidal design:therectangular Leavingasidethe holesforthe mosidethecutting,andtheinscription. of andcontemporaneity forthe originality ment,the strongestargument to eachother. relationship the otherfourelementsis theirarchitectonic cutting,whichI identifyas a niche(see The positionof the rectangular topandthesidesof bythebaselineofthepyramidal below),is determined to thebaselineof shaft:thetopedgeofthenicheis parallel therectangular top, andthe nicheis centeredbetweenthe sidesof the the pyramidal monument. at an equaldistancebetweenthe The placementof the inscription top andthe top edgeof the nicheis another baselineof the pyramidal top,the niche,andthe indicationthatallthreeelements(thepyramidal floorof thenichecan the in hole The together. designed were inscription) of a three-dimensional as a dowelholeforthe attachment be explained object.It is possiblethattheholein thebackof the nicheis a lateraddiholesareoftenfoundon reusedgravestelaiandareusually tion.Circular identifiedasconduitsforawaterpipeof a fountainhead.3If thiswerethe onewouldexpectto find however, casewiththe Aeginetanmonument, darkstainsormarksofwaterwear,noneofwhicharepresentontheinner as an addiwallof the niche.If thisholeis original,it canbe explained of anobjectin theniche.Thus,thereare tionaldowelholeforthesecuring aspartsof stronggroundsforviewingallthe elementsof the monument theoriginaldesign. INSCRIPTION asfollows: on thestone(Figs.4-5) canbe described The inscription
3. E.g., Clairmont,CAT 2.382c [= Conze1893-1922,II, cat.no.658, pl. CXX];Conze1893-1922,IV,cat. no. 1871,p. 37.
L.H.0.015-0.018 m, omicronDiam.0.013-0.014 m. Spacing betweenthelettersof thefirstlineis 0.02-0.025 m;betweentheletters of thesecondline,0.01-0.015 m, exceptbetweenthefirstalphaandrho, whichis 0.02 m.The lengthof thefirstlineis 0.31 m,of thesecond, 0.30 m.The distancebetweenthetwolinesis 0.015-0.02 m.
IRENE
402
POLINSKAYA
Figure4. Squeezeofthe inscription. Photo author
saec.IVa. 'Apt.axovx°S 'ApaxoyeveoS
The twowordstogether,A*oaxouXoS A*oaxo,ueveoS, giveus a personalmalenameandapatronymic, whichin theabsenceof anyadditional words(e.g.,thosethatcouldsuggesta votivestele)mostlikelyindicate thatourmonument is funerary, honoringandpreserving thememoryof a deceased person. In general,theletteringof the inscription is verycarefully executed, with a slightwideningof the endsof somehastae.All but one of the elevenlettersthatappearin theinscription arefamiliar fromArchaicand Classical examples onAigina.4 Theformof nu (straight verticalstrokesof equallength)is unattested on Aiginain theArchaicandEarlyClassical periods.DuringthePeloponnesian War,theAiginetanpopulation wasin exile,andAtheniansettlersoccupiedtheisland(Thuc.4.56.2).Thus,we haveno evidenceofAiginetan writingfromthisperiod,andtheexamples ofpost-war inscriptions areextremely meager.5 Underthesecircumstances, wecannotdetermine whetherthenuontheAiginetan blockwasa regular formusedin thatperiod.Althoughit appears to be a hapaxin theknown Aiginetan usage,therecanbelittledoubtthattheinscription isAiginetan. The dialectof the inscription is Doric,as the uncontracted genitiveof A*oaxo,uevYIS (A*oaxo,ueveoS insteadof A*oaxo,uevovS) demonstrates.6 Withoutindications of a foreignorigin,dueweightmustbe givento the 4. LSAG2,Aigina,a4, £4,x,ll2, o, p1,o2, , X The lettersof ourinscriptiondisplaysomestylisticvariations of the knownforms:alpha-the right leg is slightlyshorterthantheleft and endsabovebaseline;epsilon the middlestrokeis shorterthanthe upperandlower,andnot touchingthe vertical;mperceptible, butvery slightinwardcurvingof outerhastae; sigma-shortercentralstrokesof the 4-barsigma.The upsilonis foundin the inventoryof the Sanctuary of
Aphaia(IG IV 39, secondhalfof the 5th centuryB.C.). The unattested letterformis nu. 5. Onlyonepublishedinscription on a sarcophagus datesto the 4th centuryB.C.; seeArchDelt32 (1977) B'1[1984],p. 43 = SEGXXXIV 270. Alreadyin the secondhalfof the 5th century,someof the known Aiginetaninscriptions maynotbe reflectingpurelyAiginetanletter forms.In 457 B.C., Aiginawas defeatedbyAthensandforcedinto
theDelianLeague(Thuc.1.105.2-4, 108),andtheislandwasoccupiedby AthensduringthePeloponnesian War. A numberof the horosstonesand inventories of the sanctuaries dateto the secondhalfof the 5th centuryon Aigina,andcouldbe seenasthe productof Athenianpresenceon the island.Theyposemanyproblemsin identification of scripts(Barron1983; Figueira1991,pp.115-120). 6. Buck1955,p. 40.
p INSCRIBED
T
O
M
E
N
FROM AIGINA
4o3
o
x
y
o
I I t
MONUMENT
FUNERARY
Es
Figure5. Drawingof theinscription. andG. Lavoie I. Polinskaya
7. LSAG2,Aigina,a2, vl, v2,v3,v4, p.109.
8. Woodhead1959,p.64. inscriptions 9. Classicalfunerary andallbut areespeciallyinfrequent, one dateto the 5th centuryB.C.: IG IV of Antistatesthe Athe50, gravestone nian,ca.450 (SEGXXV 332,XXIX of Gleu295);IG IV 49, gravestone century(?) kitasthe Salaminian,5th (SEG XXV 323,1X 296);IG IV of Hermaios,ca.47547, gravestone 450 (SEG XI 30,XV 187,XXIX297); ArchDelt34 (1979)B 1 [1987],p.69, graffition a potsherdandon a completepot froma grave,5thcentury
onAigina.In sum,thedialectof theinscription, stone'splaceof discovery andtheprovof mostof thelettersin theAiginetanalphabet, thepresence stronglysuggestthatit is anAiginetanproduct. enanceof themonument The abis difficultto determine. The precisedateof theinscription senceof the diagnosticArchaicAiginetanletterformsrulesout an Archaracteristics chaicdate.7At thesametime,theabsenceof theprominent upper of theHellenisticandRomanletterforms,suchasstraightparallel militates serifs, andlowerbarsforsigma,lunatecurves,andpronounced inscripagainsta Hellenisticorlaterdate.8Sincethenumberof Classical in the local tionson Aiginais small,9the chronologyof developments We thusmaybejustifiedin using scriptin thisperiodis notestablished. dating.Comparison of approximate forthepurposes outsidecomparanda of theletter suggeststhatsomespecialcharacteristics withAtticexamples of a datefollowing mightbeindicative formsin theAiginetaninscription War.The shortermiddlebarforepsilon andtheslight thePeloponnesian arefamiliarfrom curvingof theverticalstrokesof muin thisinscription of the4thcenturys.c.l°Thewidening of thefirstquarter Atticexamples of thefreeendsof theletterstrokes(asin thetauandepsilon here)canbe datingfromca.350 to 325 s.c.ll inscriptions seenin Atticfunerary suggesta datesometimein the 4th Theseandearlierobservations centuryB.C. A moreprecisedatewouldrequirea largersampleof local to drawon,whichwe lackatthepresenttime. inscriptions (SEG XXXVII254 and262);Welter
1938a,p.58, fig.49, and1938b, pp.521-523,namesof the deceased paintedor carvedin the chamber tombs. steleof Chrysallis, 10.Funerary andMyrta,IG II25649, Phaidrias, 390-365 B.C., Athens,Nat.Mus.750 (Conze1893-1922,I, cat.no.392, steleof p. 91, pl.XCVI);funerary IG II212086,390Menekrateia, 365 B.C. (Conze1893-1922,I, cat.no.161, p. 40, pl. L);funerary steleof Tito,IG II210231,firsthalf steleof of the 4th century;funerary Artemisia,IG II210840,beginningof
the 4th century.See alsothe laterfunerarysteleof Epithales,IG II29157, II, 350-340 B.C., Ker.4857(Kerameikos pp.40-41, pl. ll). monumentof Dama11. Funerary sistrate,IG II211037,350-330B.C., Athens,Nat.Mus.743 (Conze 1893-1922,I, cat.no.410,pp.94-95, steleof Sympl.XCVII);funerary machia,IG II29337,slightlybefore ca.317/316B.C., Athens,Nat.Mus. 1728.SeealsoIG II26942,firsthalf of the 4th century,Athens,Epigr.Mus. 2674 (Clairmont,CAT suppl.,no.PE or RSE33, fig.p.130).
4o4
IRENE
POLINSKAYA
PRO S OPO GRAPHY The name'AtotoTo,uevYIS is well attestedthroughout the Greekworld.l2 Thename'AptoTouXog is muchmorerare.An'AptotouXog is knownfrom Epidauros (IG IV2187,4th centuryB.C.; notethevarianta°X )- Seven personsof this nameareknownfromthe Aegeanislands,of whichthe earliesttwo aredatedto the 4th centuryB.C. No 'AptoTouXog is known fromcentralGreece,andtheonly'AptoTouXog in Atticawasapparently a meticfromKythnos.13 Nor is anyother'AtoaTouXog knownfromAigina.The only'ApoTo,urvYls attestedon Aiginais the heroof Pindar's Pythian8. This epinikionis considered to bethelastwrittenbyPindarandis usuallydatedto 446 B.C., "theonlypoem,so faraswe know,thatPindarwroteforAegina aftershehadlostherindependence as a resultof theAthenianvictoryat Oenophyta (Thuc.1.108).''14The Aristomenes of Pythian8 wasthesonof Xenarkes, fromtheclanof Meidylidai.15 Otherrelatives mentioned in the epinikionarehis maternal uncles,TheognetosandKleitomakhos (Pind. Pyth.8, lines36-38).Aristomenes is honoredwithanepinikionfora victoryinwrestling atthePythianGames.He wonothervictoriesathomein thepentathlon of Apollo,l6andabroad, atMegara,Marathon, andArgos (lines78-80).17 In 446 B.C., Aristomenes couldbe described asbeing"on thevergeof manhood,''18 a description reinforced bytheprominent place givento thefigureof hisfatherin thepoem(lines71-75),aswellasbythe directaddressing of theathleteas"achild,"Ct) woct (line33).If Aristomenes wasfifteenyearsoldin 446,he wouldhavebeenthirtyin 431,whenhis familywasforcedintoexile.A hypothetical sonof thisAristomenes could stillhavebeenalivein thethirdquarter ofthe4thcenturyB.C. Althoughit wouldbedangerous to insistontheidentityof theMeidylidAristomenes, thesonofXenarkes, withAristomenes, thefatherof Aristoukhos, atleast the datesfortheyZoruit of the formerAristomenes' hypothetical sonand thedatingof theAiginetanfunerary inscription arefilllycompatible. 12.In the Peloponnese, western Greece,andMagnaGraecia,the name Aristomenes is attested65 times.On theAegeanislandsandCyrenaica, thereare108 attestations, of which27 are4th centuryorearlier.In Attica, thereare58 attestations; in central Greece,43, of whichallbuttwo are laterthanthe 4th century(LGPNI, II, IIIA,IIIB,S.v.AoxoToXurwrlg) 13. LGPNI, II, IIIA,s.v.AoxoTouX°5Forthemetic,seeMeritt1954, p. 271, no. 110 (SEGXIV 207),a 4th-centurygravestone; I wouldlike to thankJohnTraillforbringingthis nscrlptlonto myattentlon. 14. Burton1962,p. 174. 15. Pyth. 8, line38, waoav Mrx8U?W8av,Pind.fr.190,a MeduBou 8' au .
.
.
.
yzvza. Burton1962,pp.181-182; Figueira1981,pp.311-313. 16. Scholiato theselinesof Pyth. 8 indicatethatthe pentathlon waspart of theDelphiniafestivalin honorof Apolloon Aigina(Drachmann 1910, p. 215).A templeof Apolloin the townof Aiginaanda stadiumnearby arementionedby Pausanias (2.29.112.30.1). 17. Contraryto mostcurrent opinions(e.g.,Simon1980,p. 44), I identifyHoasayxv rstxotov as theArgiveHeraia,not as a localAiginetanfestivalin honorof Hera Moderninterpreters relyon the lonescholiastwho saysthattherewasa local Heraiaon Aigina(Drachmann 1910, p. 217),yet it is likelythatthe scholiast
himselfmisunderstood the reference. The "localagonof Hera"appearsin the list of Aristomenes' foreignvictories,andservesas a paraphrase forthe festivalandplacename(Heraiaat Argos,the mostwellknown"local" agonof Hera),whichis a common practicein Pindar(cf.01. 9, lines9899).Whenpromptedaboutathletic contestson Aigina,the scholiaprovide two namesof festivals: Delphiniaand Aiakeia.If the Heraiawereanother competitionon Aigina,one mightexpectto findthatotherathletescelebratedin Pindar'stwelveAiginetan odeswouldbe mentionedasvictors in theseallegedlylocalgames,but Pyth. 8 remainsthe solereference. 18. Burton1962,p. 174.
INSCRIBED
FUNERARY
FROM AIGINA
MONUMENT
4o5
ofa noble weremembers andAristomenes It islikelythatAristoukhos Xenarkes. While andhisfather, family,19 asweretheMeidylidAristomenes wasnotthe on thepresentmonument it is possiblethattheAristomenes in Pythian8, he couldhavebeena memberof the same one celebrated extendedfamily.Whethera relativeof the Pythianvictoror not,Arislivedin theperiodof lostgloryin thehistory toukhossonof Aristomenes in 404 B.C., theAiginetans to theirhomeland of Aigina.Thoughrestored arenathat in theinternational wouldneveragainachievetheprominence Bothtextual theyhadheldbefore457,theperiodof theirindependence. evidencefromthe4th centuryareverypooron Aigina.Perandmaterial population of exile:the returning hapsonereasonliesin thevicissitudes astheonethathadlefttwoanda halfdecadesearwasnot asnumerous wasoneof sonof Aristomenes lier.20 Ifweareto imaginethatAristoukhos to a lootedhouse exiles,he maywellhavebeenreturning the returning andanemptycoffer. on Aiginawiththelargemonumental the monument If we compare tombsof the 4th centuryin Attica(e.g.,the Dexileosmonument,the we mightasmonument),21 andtheKallithea monument of Aristonautes, and sessits valueasmodest.Yetit mustbe concededthatthe acquisition of of marblefromoutsidetheisland,andthe commission transportation somefinancialexrequired the designandexecutionof the monument, modestmonumentmaybe penditure. It is possiblethatsucha relatively in the a reflectionof the reducedfortunesof the Aiginetanaristocracy 4thcenturyB.C. At thesametime,weshouldnotethatevenin thetimeof B.C., it wasnotanAiginetan prosperity, in the6thandearly5thcenturies gravemarkers. customto setupostentatious Typicalburialson Aiginathroughoutantiquitywereunderground Rarelyweregravemarkchamber tombsorshaftgraveswithstairways.22 gravestones of the Twosurviving erserectedabovegroundovertombs.23 pillarsmadeof trachyte. 6th centuryB.C. (IGIV 47, 48) areundecorated arecommonreliefstelai.24 gravemarkers TheonlythreeknownSth-century duringtheAthenianoccuof localburialpractices Aftertheinterruption tombsareagainused; pationof theislandfrom431 to 404 B.C., chamber 19. It must be grantedthat while names in AoesTo-are appropriateto aristocrats,they hardlyguaranteethat status. 20. Xen. Hell.2.29.9: Ausavrx5Atyevav 8oos 8r afpexo,urvos osoug asrdxxz rrv woRevAxytvrlTaxs, rduvaTowArestousau9v a0ootoas. See also Figueira1993, p. 323; Plut. Lys.14.4. 21. Dexileos monument,394/3, Ker.Mus. P 1130 (Clairmont,CAT 2.209; Stewart1990, p. 172, fig. 482); Aristonautesmonument,IG II25462, second half of the 4th century,Athens, Nat. Mus. 738 (Clairmont,CAT 1.460; Rolley 1994, p. 378, fig. 397);
Kallitheamonument(tombof NikeratosandPolyxenosof Istria),330-320, Peiraieus Mus.,no inv.no.(Steinhauer 2001,pls.458-459;Ridgway1990, pp.31-32, 64, n. l5). Welter 22. On Aiginetanburials: 1938a,pp.55-62; 1938b,pp.495-524; Papastaurou 1990,pls.7-14. Tombs ArchDelt18 of the 6th-Sthcenturies: 21 (1963)B 1 [1965],p.52;ArchDelt (1966)B 1 [1968],pp.l00-102; ArchDelt 33 (1978)B 1 [1985], 34 (1979)B 1 [1987], p.53;ArchDelt pp.68-71. found 23.The onlygravemarkers 36 in situ:IG IV 47,48;ArchDelt (1981)B'1 [1988],p.67, at Leophoros
174in ChalikakiAgiasParaskevis 289); Meristos(SEGXXXVIII 1986[1990],p. 58, n. 61 ArchEph (SEGXXXJX331). 24. AiginaMus.733,ca.450 B.C. (Alt-AginaII.2,no.55,p.82,pl.43).
AiginaMus.729,early5th centuryB.C. II.2,no.54, pp.80, 82, (Alt-Agina pl.42),is sometimesidentifiedas Hiller1975,p. 72, n. 20. A funerary: steleof a youngman,Athens, funerary Nat.Mus.715,430-420 B.C. (Fuchs 1993,pp.487-488,fig.571),datesto the periodof theAthenianoccupation of Aigina,andwasprobablyanAthe.
nlan
.
commlsslon.
.
406
IRENE
POLINSKAYA
surviving examples datefromthe secondhalfof the 4th century.25 Aside fromthe presentmonument,no gravemarkersareknownfrom4thcenturyAigina.The inscribedmarblemonumentwith a niche thus appears to havebeenexceptional in thecontextof Aiginetanburialpractices,andalthough modestin comparison to contemporary Athenian grave markers, it represents an effortto producea distinctiveandrespectable memorial forthedead. FORM AND FUNCTION Threefeatures of themonument defineits peculiarity: thepyramidal top, niche,anddowelholes,presumably indicating thepointsatwhichanobjectwassecuredin theniche(Fig.6). P Y RA M I D A L
To P
The pyramidal top of the monumentwasoriginally fittedwith a finial, whichis indicatedby a smallroundholeon the flatareacreatedby the levelingof thetip of thepyramid. Parallels fortheuseof attachments on topof funerary monuments, however, arehardto find.26 No othermonumentswithpyramidal topsareknownfromAigina.A pyramidal top in generalis a rareelementin the designof ancientGreekfunerary monuments.27 Oneunambiguous Classical exampleof theuseof a pyramid asa gravemarker is theSth-century B.C. monument of Parthenia, thedaughter of NadystheCarian,fromSinope.Thethree-sided pyramid probably representsonlythetoppartof themonument, therestof whichhasnotsurvived.28 A gravemarker of unknowndatewitha four-sided steppedpyramidaltop is knownfromthe cemeteryof Canalicchio in Syracuse, and representations offour-sided stepped pyramidal roofscrowning whatmight be heroaarefoundon Apulianvasesof the4th centurys.c.29Apartfrom thevisualresemblance, no stylisticlinkscanbe established betweenthese monuments andtheAiginetanexample. Nor,outsidea funerary context,cantwoothertypesof Greekmonumentsincorporating pyramidal shapesinto theirdesignbe considered 25.Welter1938b,p.498. 26. Althoughnot numerous, examplesareknownof roundholes,aswell asrectangular dowels,forarchitectural attachments on top of the so-called Totenmahlrelief stelai,at leastfromthe Hellenisticperiod(Fabricius 1999, pp.138-143,fig. 19:c-k). 27.Twoexamplesof three-sided pyramidlike funerary monumentsof the Romanperiodareknownfromthe Kerameikos: P 673 (Kerameikos II, p.50, no.47, pl. 14) andP 210 (KerameikosII, pp.S0-51). 28. Istanbul,Arch.Mus.3868,
localAsiaMinormarble;H. 0.33 m, secondquarterof the 5th centuryB.C. (PfuhlandMobius1977-1979,I, p. 16,no.22, pl. 6; Clairmont1970, no. 10,pl. 36).All threesidesof the pyramidwereinscribed,andthese epigramstwicereferto a stele,indicating,as Clairmont(1970,p. 34) noted,thatthepyramidsurmounted a stele.Clairmont(1970,p. 34, n. 119) identifiesthispyramidal monument asunique,butrefersto additional evidenceforthe useof pyramidsas gravemarkers in classicalantiquity. In addition,Nakayama (1982,pp.43-
45, fig.4:a),on the basisof vasepaintings,identifiesa typeof gravemarker (GB-I)in the shapeof a "blockformigeMonumentemitpyramidalem Oberbau," the pyramidof whichis of steppedconstruction, andtopped witha stele. 29. GravemarkerfromSyracuse: Mus.Naz.40089;Apulianamphora, CVAKarlsruhe 2 [Germany8], pl. 60. Anotherpotsherdis in the personal collectionof N. Neuerburg, who publishedanillustration of thissherd withoutassigningit a number (Neuerburg 1969,pp.111-112).
INSCRIBED
drawing Figure6. Reconstruction of monument of thefunerary withoutfinialand Aristoukhos, DrawingM. Kapgan sculpture.
FUNERARY
MONUMENT
FROM AIGINA
4o7
fromthe astheydisplaymanydifferences orinspirations, stylisticparallels tops(withconcave here.Forexample,pyramidal monumentconsidered by singleor sides)thatcrownvotivepillarsfromArcadiaareseparated inplan.30 doublebandsof moldingfromtheirpillarshafts,whicharesquare planarepartof thedesign northesquare normoldings, Neitherconcavity, stele-likeobjectsof fromAigina.Kyrbeis,"freestanding, of themonument bronzeorstone,havingeitherthreeorfoursides,andcrownedatthetop onwhichofficap,''3l wereusedin Athensasmonuments bya pyramidal evidencethat The onlyarchaeological wereinscribed.32 cialregulations consistsofbaseswithtriangusupports thisdefinitionof kyrbeis,however, larcuttingsthatindicatethatthe shaftsof the insertedpillarswereof fromthe designof the triangular shape.Thisfeaturedifferssignificantly elements, Thus,in spiteof the commonpyramidal presentmonument. neitherthe kyrbeisnorArcadianvotivepillarsarecloselyrelatedto the Aiginetanblock. NICH E shouldbeidencuttingonthefaceofthemonument Thedeeprectangular of anobject.Theproporfortheplacement tifiedasa niche,anenclosure tionsof the niche(H. 0.66m,W. 0.245m, D. 0.225m) suggestthatit is to havebeenusedfora relief.Thealmostsquarefloor toodeepandnarrow of thecutting(L.0.245m,W. 0.225m)witha large,deepholesomewhat and off centersuggeststhatthe nichewasmadefora three-dimensional
30.Thesevotivepillarscomefrom the Tegea,Mantinea,andPallantion, earliestdatingfromthe firsthalfof the 5th century,andbearvotive
inscriptions on one of the foursides 1906, of the shaft(Arvanitopoullos pp.63-66, nos.16-17;Rhomaios 1967,p. 408).These 1911;Papachatzes
arecollectedin Stroud1979, references p.47,n. 148. 31. Stroud1979,p. 47. 32. Stroud1979,pp.1-40, 49-50.
408
IRENE
POLINSKAYA
nota flatobject.A rectangular nicheis theonlytypeknownfromArchaic andClassicalGreece,andit is mostlyusedas an architectural element, awallniche.33 Nichesin funerary contextsarealsofrequently wallniches, usedfor the placementof funerary urns.34 The mainpeculiarity of the Aiginetanexample,however,is thatthe nicheis locatedwithina freestandingmonolithicmonument. A surveyof the Archaic,Classical, and Hellenisticperiodson the Greekmainland, AsiaMinor,thePontusarea, andsomeof the Aegeanislandshasthusfarnot revealedanyotherexamplesof freestanding monolithic funerary monuments witha deepniche fora three-dimensional object.35 DOWELHOLESANDTHE OBJECTIN THENICHE If theholesin thefloorandbackwallof thenichewereindeedassociated withtheoriginaluseof themonument, it seemsmostlikelythattheyheld dowelsusedto anchoranobject.The shapeof the niche,withtheheight roughlythreetimesthewidth,suggeststhatit wasdesignedto holda tall andnarrowobject.Suitableobjectsforthisshapeandtheseproportions includeavase,suchasaloutrophoros orlekythos,36 stoneversions ofwhich wereoftenusedas gravemarkers in the Classicalperiod(Fig.7),37or a statuette. A tall,narrow stonevesselwouldbe anespecially attractive candidate fortheinhabitant of theniche.38 Lekythoiandloutrophoroi areoftenrepresentedon ClassicalAtticgravereliefsas standingon a shelfor ledge, illustrating thepracticeof settingup ceramicshapesof the samekindon tombs.39 Sometimesthesevesselsareshownon gravemonuments in a 33. Someof the earliestexamplesin the historicalperiodarethe so-called Wandnischen, wallnichesfromThasos thatwereconstructed in thewallsof the citygates.Theyareusuallyconsideredcultic.Otherexamplesof wall nichescomefromMagnesia,Ephesos, Priene,Messene,andDelos(Hornbostel-Huttner 1979,pp.33-48).It is quiteclearfromthe surviving basesin the nichesof Delianhousesthatstatuettesandvotivereliefswereplaced in them;see Kreeb1988,pp.43-46, pl. 8.1 (aninscribedbasein the niche in HouseE on the peribolos-street); pl. 8.2 (a basein the nichein House Th Vl D); andalsopl. 10 (reconstruction:statuettein a wallniche).Fora nicheintendedfora lampin the Erechtheion, seePalagia1984. 34. In the Hellenisticperiod,niches werebuiltinsidetombsandusedfor theplacementof funerary urns,e.g.,in theTaurianChersonesos, in the abovegroundtombsbuiltagainstthe fortifi-
cationwallof the city(Koshelenko, Kruglikova, andDolgorukov1984, p.52, pl.xix.8). 35. Nonearedocumented in Conze 1893-1922;Clairmont,CAT,and 1970;Diesantz1965;FraserandRonne 1957;Papapostolou 1993;Pfuhland Mobius1977-1979;Cremer1991;Firatli1964;Kieseritzky andWatchinger 1909;Fraser1977;or Schmidt1991. 36.Theseceramicshapes,imitated in stone,rangein ratioof heightto widthbetweenroughly1.7 and3.5;the mostcommonratiosareabout3:1 (Caskey1922,p.19, diagram XXXIX, pp.209-225). 37. Grossman1995,p. 228:"The practiceof usingsculptedmarblelekythoiasgravemarkers beginsat the end of the fifthcenturyB.C." SeealsoVedder1985,pp.43-48;KurtzandBoardman1985,pp.148-151.Although othervaseshapes,e.g.,amphoras, especiallythoseof Panathenaic shape, servedfunerary functions(Neils2000,
p. 130;Valavanis 2000),theyareless likelycandidates fortheAiginetan nichebecauseof theirunsuitable proportions;the ratiosof heightto width foramphoras rangebetween1.2 and 1.6 (Caskey1922,p.36). 38. A numberof marbleloutrophoroiandlekythoiof an appropriate sizeforthe nichesurvive: e.g.,the loutrophoros thatsurmounted the trapezaof Parthenios theMessenianin the Kerameikos (Fig.7), MG 47, Ker. 11174,H.0.52m,Diam.0.18m, Diam.(base)0.085m (Kerameikos X;]V, pls.14.2,23.2);anda lekythosfrom the Dipylonarea,Athens,Nat.Mus. 851,H.0.58 m (Clairmont, CHT 2.211;IG II213033). 39. Kokula1984,p. 15:"Dieerste UmsetzungderLutrophore in Stein zeigtnachderMittedes5.Jhs.v. Chr. ein doppelseitiges Grabrelief ausBrauron(Athens,Nat.Mus.4468),auf dessenVorderseite eineLutrophore und aufdessenRuckseiteeineLekythos
INSCRIBED
FUNERARY
MONUMENT
FROM AIGINA
4o9
Figure7. Trapezaof Partheniosthe Messenian,surmountedby a loutrophoros.Kerameikos,Athens. Photo author
recessed frame(Fig.8),asif intendedto depicta nichewithavesselin it.40 YetI knowof no examples orrepresentations on vasesof slabstelaiwith nicheshousingvessels.Stoneloutrophoroi andlekythoiwereusuallyset up as freestanding sculpture on stonebases.In mostcases,a roughhole, moreorlesscircular, wouldbe madein thepedestal; the footof thevase wouldbe set into the prepared holeandthe remaining gapsfilledwith lead.4l Accordingly, onemightexpectto findonthefloorof theAiginetan monument a roughlyroundholesomewhat largerthanthecircumference of a vessel'sfoot,centeredbetweenthe sidesof the niche.Althoughthe holewe findis ellipticalandsomewhat off center,we shouldnotruleout thepossibility thatthenichewasnevertheless designedto accommodate a stonevessel.Thecuttingmayhavebeenfora dowelhole,whichwouldnot dargestellt ist.BeideVasensind deutlichalsTongefasse aufdie Stele gesetzt,so dassim Gebrauch befindlichegefassederGrabkults im Bildauf derStelegezeigtwerden." Otherloutrophoroion a ledgeincludeAthens, Nat.Mus.2319, Clairmont,CAT 2.267; Athens,Nat.Mus.884, Clairmont,CAT2.710. 40. Loutrophoroi: e.g.,Athens,Nat. Mus.985 (Clairmont, CAT 1.947); Paris,LouvreMa 3119 (MNC2279) (Clairmont, CAT2.336); Athens,Nat.
Mus. 984 (Clairmont, CAT2.23); Athens,Nat.Mus.879 (Clairmont, CAT2.887); Athens,Nat.Mus.899 (Clairmont, CAT2.889); Athens,Nat. Mus.2553 (Clairmont, CAT3.406a). Kantharoi: e.g.,fromCyzicus,Istanbul, Arch.Mus.2215; fromMesambria on Pontos,Sofia,Nat.Mus.4739; from Dionysopolis, VarnaMus.II1595; fromMesambria, NessebarMus., no inv.no.(PfuhlandMobius19771979, II, nos.2259-2262, pl. 319). Kraters: e.g.,fromCos(?),CosMus.,
no inv.no.;fromLinopoti,on Cos, CosMus.,no inv.no.(Pfuhland Mobius1977-1979,II, nos.2263, 2264,pl.320). 41. E.g.,the funerary trapezaiof Philoxenos,Dion,andParthenios, theMessenians, in the Kerameikos, ca.340 B.C. (Ker.I 367,I 368,I 369; Kerameikos XlV, pp.105-110,figs.SS56, pls.22.1-3;23.2;14.2)andthe loutrophoros of Hegetorin the Kerameikos,350-340 B.C. (MG 32; Kerameikos XlV, p. 81, pl.19.2-3).
4IO
IRENE
POLINSKAYA
Figure8. Funerary stele,National Archaeological Museuminv.2553, Athens.CourtesyMuseum
haveneededto be roundorcentered if it wasusedto affixa stonebaseor plinth.The surfaceof thefloorof the nicheis notaspolished(especially towardthebackof theniche)asitswalls,whichsuggeststhatthesurface maynothavebeenintendedtobeseen,whichwouldbethecaseif a plinth wereadded. Anothercandidate fortheobjectin thenicheis a statuein theround. On a muchlargerscale,funerary sculptures in highrelieforin theround withinarchitectural framesarewellknownfromthe LateClassicaland EarlyHellenistic periods.42 Theproportions of thenichecouldaccommodatea medium-sized statuette(H.0.5-0.6m).Thecuttingonthefloorof thenicheis located0.05m fromthefrontof themonument, leaving0.11 m betweenthe backof the cuttingandthebackwallof the niche.One dowelwouldhavebeensufficientto holda smallstatuettein place.The holein the backwallof the niche,if it is original,couldhaveservedto 42. Fuchs1993,pp.496-498; Clairmont1970,pp.46-50, pls.11-89 (Attic,Thessalian, Macedonian, Ionian, andCretanmonuments); Kurtzand Boardman 1985,p. 156.Classical vasesthatdepicta gravemonument
with a human figureor a group of figureson top (e.g., white-ground lekythos,Bonn, Akad. Kunstmus.66, ARV2 1229, no. 15; CVABonn 1 [Germany1], pls. 43.2, 4; 44.2, 4) do not find supportin the con-
temporaryarchaeologicalrecord (Lohmann 1979, p. 40), and are not strictlycomparableto the figural sculptureproposedto have been in the Aiginetan niche.
INSCRIBED FUNERARY MONUMENT FROM AIGINA
4II
The bottomholebyitselfdoesnotallowus to destabilizethe statuette. or the materialof the techniqueof the attachment, terminedefinitively holessimilarto thoseseenontheAiginetan Smallelliptical thesculpture.43 wereusedwithdowelsto secureArchaicandEarlyClassical monument Bronze,howbyhollowcasting.44 thoseproduced especially bronzestatues, sculpof filnerary ever,asfaraswe know,wasnotusedfortheproduction mention turein the Classicalperiod.DonnaKurtzandJohnBoardman madeof bronze.45 sculpture Hellenisticepitaphsthatreferto funerary While a stonevesselor a stoneor bronzestatuettearenot unlikely fortheobjectin theniche,we haveto allowforthepossibility candidates objectwas placedthereas a that someother,perhapsunconventional, The objectin the nichemaynot havebeen memorialfor the deceased. piece,butwasusedinsteadduringthelifeasa funerary madespecifically It maybe thatthedesireto timeof thepersonhonoredbythemonument. withsuchanobjectcalledforthecreationof thedeceased commemorate the deepniche,if not in particular an unusualshapeforthe monument, top. thepyramidal CON CLUSION
43. Marblewasthe materialof sculptureandreliefs choiceforfilnerary of the ClassicalandEarlyHellenistic in the round periods.When sculpture wasused,it wastypicallycarvedon a plinththatwasthenset intoa cutting in the bottomof the naiskosframeof Thesecuttingswere the monument. mostlywideandflat,andthe plinths couldbe solderedontothebaseswith lead. 44. See,e.g.,Keesling1995, 1938, pp.146-147; Raubitschek p.133; 1949, p.61; Haynes1992, pp.100-105, fig.8. 1985, 45. KurtzandBoardman pp.295,315.
fromthechurch on themonument Whiletheletteringof theinscription ofAgiosNikolaosonAiginapointsto a datebetweenca.400and300B.C., in eitherthevodoesnotfindcloseparallels the shapeof themonument concontextsof thisperiod.The formof theinscription, tiveorfilnerary function,and suggestsa funerary sistingof a malenameandpatronymic, honorsthe sonof theMeidylidAristoit is possiblethatthe inscription menes,who wasthe heroof Pindar'sPythian8. At the sametime,the as monumentstandsas anoddityin the contextof localburialpractices, on Aiginain the Archaic,Classical,or Hellenistic it wasnot customary it In spiteof thelackof parallels, gravemarkers. periodsto erectelaborate of the monumentis dueto is veryunlikelythatthe presentappearance designandwellwithitspeculiar The monument, remodeling. secondary datafor newpieceof archaeological is a significant inscription, preserved hope that my It is evidence. material theperiodonAiginamostlackingin fromAiginato theattentionof other bybringingthisunusualmonument bebetterdefined. its functionandplacewillultimately scholars,
IRENE
4I2
POLINSKAYA
REFEREN C ES .
.
Grossman,J.1995."The Sculptured FuneraryMonuments of the ClassicalPeriod in the Athenian Agora"(diss. New York University). Haynes, D.1992. TheTechnique of AoTot £ztypafpal xal 7rkaxa GreekBronzeStatuary,Mainz. Zvu£a T£y£a$,"ArchEph 1906, Hiller, H. 1975. IonischeGrabreliefs pp.23-66. dererstenHdlftedes5. Jhs. (IstMittBarron,J.1983."The Fifth-Century BH 12), Tubingen. Horoi of Aegina,"JHS 103, pp. 1Hornbostel-Huttner,G. 1979. Studien 12. zur romischen Nischen-architektur Buck, C. D.1955. TheGreekDialects, (Studies of the Dutch ArchaeologiChicago. cal and Historical Society 9), Burton, R. W. B. 1962. Pindar'sPythian Leiden. Odes,Oxford. Keesling,C. 1995."Monumental Caskey,L. D. 1922. Geometryof Greek PrivateDedications on the AtheVases,Boston. nian Acropolis,ca.600-400 B.C." Clairmont,CAT= C. W. Clairmont, (diss. Universityof Michigan). ClassicalAtticTombstones, 6 vols., Kerameikos II = H. Riemann,Die Kilchberg1993. Skulpturen vom5. Jahrhundertbis Clairmont,C. W. 1970. Gravestoneand in romischeZeit (Kerameikos II), Epigram:GreekMemorialsprom the Berlin 1940. Archaicand ClassicalPeriod,Mainz. Kerameikos XIV = W. K. Kovacsovics, Conze, A. 1893-1922. Die attischen Die Eckterrasse an derGrdbersterrasse Grabreliefs I-IV, Berlin. desKerameikos (Kerameikos XIV), Cremer,M. 1991. Hellenistisch-romische Berlin 1990. Grabstelen in nordwestlichen KleinKieseritzky,G., and C. Watchinger. asien1-2, Bonn. 1909. Griechische Grabreliefs aus Diesantz, H.1965. Die thessalischen Suirussland,Berlin. Grabreliefs. Studienzur nordKokula,G.1984. Marmorlutrophoren griechischen Kunst,Mainz. (AM-BH 10), Berlin. Drachmann,A. B. 1910. Scholiavetera Koshelenko,G., I. Kruglikova,and in PindaricarminaII, Leipzig. V. Dolgorukov,eds. 1984. AntiFabricius,J. 1999. Die hellenistischen chryegosudarstvaSevernogoPriTotenmahlreliefs. Grabreprasentachernomoria [Ancient states of tion und Wertsorstellungen in the northernBlack Sea coast], ostgriechischen Stadten,Munich. Moscow. Figueira,T. 1981. Aegina.Societyand Kreeb,M. 1988. Untersuchungen zur Politics,New York. f gurlichenAusstatungdelischer . 1991. AthensandAeginain Privathduser,Chicago. theAgeofImperialColonization, Kurtz,D. C., andJ. Boardman.1985. Baltimore. Thanatos.TodundJenseitsbeiden . 1993. "FourNotes on the Griechen,Mainz. Aiginetans in Exile,"in Excursions LGPN= P. M. Fraserand E. Matin EpichoricHistory:Aiginetan thews, eds., ALexiconof Greek Essays,Lanham,Md., pp.293-324. PersonalNames,4 vols., Oxford Firatli,N. 1964. Lesstelesfune'raires de 1987-2000. Byzancegre'co-romaine, Paris. Lohmann, H. 1979. Grahmdlerauf Fraser,P. M. 1977. RhodianFunerary unteritalischen Vasen,Berlin. Monuments,Oxford. LSAG2= L. H. Jeffery,LocalScriptsof Fraser,P. M., and T. Ronne. 1957. ArchaicGreece,2nd ed., Oxford Boeotianand WestGreekTombstones, 1990. Lund. Meritt, B. D. 1954. "GreekInscripFuchs,W. 1993. Die Skulpturder tions,"Hesperia23, pp.233-283. Griechen,4th ed., Munich.
Alt-Agina II.2 = E. Walter-Karydi,Die aginetischeBildhauerschule: Werkeund schriftliche Quellen(Alt-AginaII.2), Mainz 1987. Arvanitopoullos,A. S. 1906. "'Av£x-
INSCRIBED
FUNERARY
MONUMENT
I-II, Grabreliefs Die Ostgriechischen
FROM AIGINA
4I3
Stroud,R. 1979.Theaxonesand IyrbeisofDrakonandSolon (University of CaliforniaPublications,ClassicalStudies19), Bulletinde l'Institutarcheologique Berkeley. bulgare12.1,pp. 132-181. P.2000."Panathenaische Valavanis, AmphorenaufMonumenten the . 1949.Dedicationsprom reisamphoren zu denPanathenaischen Cambridge, AthenianAkropolis, hellenistischer 25.11.-9.11.1998, spatklassischer, Rauischholzhausen Mass. M. Bentz and N. Eschbach,eds., undromischerZeit,"in PanatheRhomaios,K.A.1911. "'ApxadLxoL zu denPanathenaika:Symposion Mainz, pp. 125-130. EpllaL,'' ArchEph1911,pp.149-159. Rauischnaischen Preisamphoren Neuerburg,N. 1969. "Greekand Ro22:2, Archaeology man Pyramids," Ridgway, B. S.1990.HellenisticSculpture holzhausen 25.11.-29.11.1998, pp.106-115. 1, Madison. M. BentzandN. Eschbach,eds., Rolley,C.1994. La sculpturegresque, Palagia,O. 1984."A Niche for KallimaMainz,pp.161-173. Paris. chos' Lamp,"AJA88, pp. 515-521. zur Vedder,U. 1985.Untersuchungen Papachatzes,N. D.1967. IIowaorvc'ov Schmidt,S. 1991.HellenistischeGrabattischer plastischen Ausstattung II£,0CU5CN: >CX=, undchronologische 'ERAordof reliefs:Typologische Grabanlagen des4.Jhs.v. Chr. Cologne. Beobachtungen, Athens. (Archaologie, ser.38,vol.7), Papapostolou,J. A. 1993. Achaean Simon,E. 1980.Die GotterderGriechen, Frankfilrt. GraveStelai,Athens. Munich. Berlin. Welter,G. 1938a.Aegina, Papastaurou,E. 1990."EvvoRoopaSteinhauer, G.2001. To A,oxorcoRoycxo MII. 1938b."Aeginetica 8CzxvTazv omvALyLva,"ArchEph MOVC7£C'OII£C,OO(CCR)N, Athens. XX1V,"AA 1938,pp.480-540. 1986 [1990], pp. 49-59. Stewart,A. 1990.GreekSculpture:An Woodhead,A. G. 1959.TheStudyof Pfuhl, E., and H. Mobius. 1977-1979. Exploration,New Haven. Cambridge. GreekInscriptions,
Nakayama,N. 1982. "Untersuchung der aufweissgrundigenLelythen dargestelltenGrabmaler"(diss. UniversitatFreiburg). Neils, J. 2000. "Panathenaicsin the Symposion West,"in Panathenaika:
IrenePolinskaya BOWDOINCOLLEGE OF CLASSICS DEPARTMENT STATION 7600 COLLEGE BRUNSWICK, MAINE O4 OII - 84 76 ipolinsk@bowdoin. edu
Mainz. 1938."ZurTechnikund Raubitschek,A. Statuenbasen," Formderaltattischen
