Athens Sights - Ancient Keramikos Cemetary

The area of the Kerameikos was first used as a burial ground in the 11th century BC or ‘Submycenaean’ period, the period after the destruction of the Mycenaean palaces and the associated civilization. More than a hundred simple but neatly laid-out Submycenaean graves have been found, attesting to the presence of a sizeable and organized community nearby. The Kerameikos remained the principal cemetery of Athens into the Roman period.

In the Protogeometric and Geometric periods (ca. 1050 to 700 BC) the custom of cremation was introduced, funerary gifts became increasingly more rich and grave markers more monumental. The Kerameikos is famous for its large terracotta amphorae and kraters – initially called ‘Dipylon vases’ because they were found in the area of the later Dipylon Gate. Many of these bear depictions of the prothesis (the lying-in-state of the dead) and the ekphora (funerary procession) in a severely geometric style. These impressive, sometimes man-high vases were set up as grave markers, while other pots and valuable objects, including weaponry for the men and gold and other precious jewelry for the women, were placed inside the grave.

From the 6th century BC monuments carved in stone and marble take the place of ceramic grave markers. The Kerameikos has produced some very early and fine Archaic statues of young men or kouroi. An almost complete example, now on display in the Kerameikos Museum, was found as recently as 2002. Like most other Archaic funerary statues and reliefs from the Kerameikos, this kouros was not found in its original setting, but reused in the foundations of the city wall that was put up in great haste after the Persian invasion of Greece and the destruction of Athens in 479 BC. Other Archaic statues, such as those of a lion and sphinx suffered the same fate.

After the erection of the city wall in 478 BC, burials were confined to the area outside, to the west and northwest. Many of the leading families of Classical Athens owned a burial plot here, laid out on terraces along the roads radiating from the Dipylon and Sacred Gates. These burial plots have yielded some of the most beautiful and moving examples of Classical funerary sculpture. The originals are in the Kerameikos Museum and in the National Archaeological Museum, but replicas have been set up in the cemetery itself, to retain the original impression of the burial plots. One relief, in the Kerameikos, Museum depicts a woman by the name of Ampharete, together with her grandchild who passed away before her. The epigram on her tomb reads: ‘My daughter’s beloved child is the one I hold here, the one whom I held on my lap while we looked at the light of the sun when we were alive and still hold now that we are both dead.’

At the end of the Classical period, around 317-307 BC, the governor of the city of Athens decided that the size and expense of funerary monuments had gotten out of hand. From then on, he allowed only either simple marble columns, inscribed with the name of the deceased, or table shaped constructions and marble funerary vases, nothing taller than 1.5 m high. That was the law. A large number of such columns and other simple grave markers can be seen just outside the Kerameikos Museum, to the right of the entrance.

Finds from the Submycenaean to Roman tombs are on display in the Kerameikos Museum, as well as a selection of the funerary reliefs and statues. Other funerary monuments from the Kerameikos are in the National Archaeological Museum.

Greece Travelers may take a luxury coach tour, rent a car or empower themselves with a private Oracle tour of their own design. Consider these other popular Greece travel destinations. If its on the Greek mainland Oracle can take you there in air conditioned & non-smoking security!

Athens, Cape Sounion, Ancient Corinth, Delphi & Ossios Lukas, Drama, Florina, Greneva, Chalkidiki, Imathia, Kastoria, Kavala, Kozani, Meteora, Mt. Athos, Mycenaea, Naufplion, Olympia, Pella and Vergina, Phillipi & Kavala, Dion & Mt Olympus, Sparta & Mystras, The Mani and Monemvasia, Thessaloniki,
READ TESTIMONIALS
E-mail for prices and availibility