Works in relief

Sculpture in Antiquity

	Works of sculpture in the round
	Works in relief
	Works in ivory

Images on this page

	Youthful head in relief
Youthful head in relief from the sculpted decoration of the Ionic temple at Therme, circa 500 BC, Thessaloniki, Archaeological Museum.

	Stele from Nea Kallikratia
Grave stele of a young girl holding a dove, the work of a Parian artist, circa 440 BC, Thessaloniki, Archaeological Museum.

	Stele from Kassandra
Relief grave stele of a youth, from Kassandra in Halkidiki, showing obvious Attic influence, late 5th century BC, Thessaloniki, Archaeological Museum.

	Grave stele of the Roman period
Grave stele, typical of the provincial art of Upper Macedonian, with relief busts of the members of family, mid 3rd century BC, Florina, Archaeological Museum.

Works in relief

Youthful head in relief
Therme, circa 500 BC

Stele from Nea Kallikratia
Circa 440 BC

Grave stele of the Roman period
Florina, mid 3rd century BC

Stele from Kassandra
Late 5th century BC

Few funeral and architectural reliefs have survived in Macedonia itself. Ionic and Cycladic influence is evident in grave stelai, which were perhaps made by craftsmen from those areas. The forceful Attic presence following the Persian Wars is attested by stelai made in local Macedonian workshops copying contemporary Attic work.

The Parthenon and post-Parthenon style (stele of Kassandra) coexisted with the vigorous Ionic and Cycladic art (stele of youth from Pella, stele of Nea Kallikrateia). The Attic and Ionic-Cycladic influence continued in the Hellenistic period, while peculiarities of the local ateliers of sculpture are evident (Vergina, Amphipolis).

In funeral reliefs and grave stelai of Roman times an effort was made, as declared on the inscriptions, to represent the personal characteristics of the dead, depicted among living persons. Furthermore, sarcophagi of the Attic type were ornamented with mythological depictions, containing closely placed figures in high relief.

See Also

Civilization - Works of sculpture in the round
Works in ivory
Travelling - Aigai (Vergina)
Amphipolis

Macedonian Heritage
Content courtesy Ekdotike Athenon S.A.