ancientpeoples: Terracotta funerary plaque Attic Greek, ca. 520–510 B.C. (Archaic period) Pro

ancientpeoples:

Terracotta funerary plaque

Attic Greek, ca. 520–510 B.C. (Archaic period)

Prothesis (laying out of the dead); below, chariot race

In the latter sixth century B.C., the elaborate series of funerary plaques set into the walls of rectangular tombs were replaced by single plaques with holes for attachment. The chariot race, a recurring theme in Attic funerary art, may evoke the funeral games held in honor of legendary heroes, such as those in book 23 of the Iliad, when Achilles honored his deceased friend Patroklos.

Source:Met Museum