Terracotta funerary plaque

late 7th century BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 154

Prothesis (laying out of the dead)

During the Archaic period, burial shafts in Attica were often covered by solid, rectangular, house-like structures with plastered mud-brick walls and slightly sloping roofs. A series of terracotta plaques showing different stages of the funeral were probably set into the outer walls. In this very early example, the deceased is shown lying on a bier surrounded by mourners.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Terracotta funerary plaque
Period: Archaic
Date: late 7th century BCE
Culture: Greek, Attic
Medium: Terracotta; black-figure
Dimensions: Overall: 17 9/16 x 19 3/8 in. (44.6 x 49.2 cm)
Classification: Terracottas
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1914
Object Number: 14.146.3a
Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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