The Kerameikos

The Kerameikos is one of the most ancient				the order in which it is proposed to visit them.
districts of Athens. The name comes from				The graves on the SACRED WAY are to be
keramos meaning roof-tile; an obvious allusion to				seen along the section of the road that lies below
the many tilemakers' and potters' quarters				the church of Aghia Triada. After the ruins of a
established there from the earliest times.				large unidentified tomb we come to the once
It will be remembered that after the victory over				painted stele of Antidossis; the lekythos of
the Persians at Plataea in 479 BC, Themistocles				Aristomache, with a small relief. Passing through a
ordered the building of massive defense walls				narrow opening between these monuments, we
round Athens and the Peiraeus. At the conclusion				come to a grave terrace, on which stands, the
of the Peloponnesian War (404 BC), the walls				loutrophoros of Olympichos and farther away ,
were demolished by the victorious Spartans, but				the grave tumulus of Eucoline. The fine relief
were restored by Conon in 393 BC and				depicts a family group of two women, a man and
reconstructed some sixty years later. The Roman				a gentle little girl. The latter is shown holding a pet
general Sulla finally razed them in 86 BC. A section				bird in her hand, while a tiny dog, standing on its
of the walls passed through the Kerameikos and				hindlegs, begs for her attention. The graceful
divided the district into two sectors: the Inner,				attitudes of the female figures and the playfulness
which included the Agora, the principal				of the dog are rendered in masterly fashion.
administrative and judicial buildings, and the potters'				We now descend from this monument and turn
and smiths' quarters, and the Outer Kerameikos in				right, following a path below the grave terrace.
which lay the necropolis.				This brings us to the STREET OF TOMBS, where
The Hellenic peoples regarded the interment of				the majority of funerary monuments are to be
the dead as one of the most sacred duties. In				seen. On the north (right) side: stele of Phanocles
war, the obligation to bury the enemy dead,				of Leucone; stele of Philocrates of Kydhathinaion;
whether Hellene or barbarian, was equally binding.				the trapeza of Hipparete (c. 350 BC),
Since it was believed that the presence of				granddaughter of the ill-starred Alcibiades; stele of
corpses brought pollution to the living, bodies were				Menes, with a relief representing him on
either cremated or inhumed far from the city				horseback; pillar stele of Samakion. Family plot of
walls, usually at the side of main roads or outside				Koroibos of Melite; in the center of a group of
the gates of the city; the evolution of the				three funerary monuments stands: Koroibos' own
Kerameikos extra mums of the sixth century BC				stele; on the left, that of his wife Hegeso,
can be traced to the observance of that hygienic				represented seated, examining a necklace she has
precaution. Archaeological evidence found during				taken from the trinket-box her maid is holding out
excavations in the area shows that the Outer				for her inspection. This is a cast (the original is in
Kerameikos was already in use as a burial ground				the National Archaeological Museum) of the
as long ago as the twelfth century BC.				famous stele that has inspired many painters and
Turning right inside the entrance on Odhos Ermou,				poets. On the right of the stele of Koroibos is, the
we follow a well-trodden path descending				loutrophoros, in relief, of Kleidemos, his grandson.
diagonally to the north-east and leading into the				Family plot of Eubios of Potamos: the stele, with
vestiges of the Sacred Way (IEPA 040E), with a				palmette anthemion and relief of Eubios' sister
moat and a corner of the Themistoclean circuit				Euphrosyne. The deceased, seated near her
wall in front of us. Left of the Sacred Way lies				brother, gives her hand to her nephew Bion; a
the Eridanus brook. Turning right, we come to the				small Doric column, once crowned by a
scanty remains of the Sacred Gate.				loutrophoros, marks the tomb of Bion. On the
The SACRED GATE was built into the				right of this last memorial is an unidentified
Themistoclean wall, and consisted of a passage 35				naiskos. We now turn at the retaining wall to the
m. long by 12 m. broad enclosed between two				funerary monuments on the opposite (south) side.
lateral walls. A solid wall constructed along its				Grave plot of Nicostrate and Kephisodoros. Family
length divided the passage into two exits, one				plot of the Archon Lysimachides of Acharnai. The
(south), from the Inner Kerameikos to the Sacred				tomb, in polygonal masonry, comprises: an
Way, was protected by a high wall that joined the				ex-voto representing two couples seated at a
defensive towers flanking the structure; the				funeral meal in the lower world, and below,
other, (north), served as an outlet to the Eridanus,				Charon in his boat on the Styx; a huge Molossian
then a swiftly flowing stream crossing the				hound, one of two acroteria that guarded the
Kerameikos along a vaulted artificial water-course.				corners of the tomb; the second (18), the badly
An arch, sole visible relic of the archaic hydraulic				mutilated statue of a lion, is hidden by the
installation, still spans the brook.				ex-voto already mentioned. Family plot of the
Leaving the Sacred Gate, we pass through a				treasurer Dionysius of Kollytos (c. 345-317 BC),
narrow opening in the forewall that stands on the				the tombstone, in the form of a small trapeza,
other side of the brook, continuing the line of the				marks the grave of one Melis of Melite; a large
Themistoclean circuit wall. Immediately before us				empty naiskos for a painting, probably of the
is a low stretch of ruined wall, all that remains of				deceased, stands against a tall pillar supporting, a
the polygonal wall of Conon. Keeping our course				majestic bull in Pentelic marble, the most arresting
we come to the first boundary stone, bearing a				piece of sculpture in the necropolis. This animal
perpendicular inscription oros Kerameikou. We can				was doubtless chosen to adorn the treasurer's
now trace to our right the remains of the Dipylon,				tomb, not only because Dionysus is sometimes
that is, the Double Gate.				portrayed in the form of a bull, but also because
The DIPYLON was also part of the city circuit				the name of the deceased (Dionysius) is almost
wall. It was built during the second half of the				synonymous with that of the god (Dionysus).
fourth century BC as a larger and stronger				Family plot of the brothers Agathon and
successor to the Dipylon of Themistocles; this				Sosicrates of Heraclea on the Pontus. Here stand,
latter gate was erected in the previous century				the once painted naiskos of Agathon; a high relief
on the site of an even earlier dipylon which was				representing a touching scene of parting,
known as the Thriasian Gate. The Dipylon was				executed with the dignity and restraint inherent in
the largest and most frequented of the eight city				Greek art.
gates of Athens, and the starting point of three				Korallion, wife of Agathon, grasps her husband's
roads: one southwards to the Peiraeus, another				hand in farewell. At the center stands a second
westwards to Eleusis, while the third, barely a mile				male figure while in the background, behind the
in length, led northwards to the Academy of Plato				seated figure of Korallion, a second woman's
on the River Kiphissos. An unusual feature of the				profile can be seen. On the left is a broken
Dipylon was the double entrance, consisting of an				lekythos, with a relief depicting another scene of
outer and an inner gate (hence the name), with				parting. We now come to the family plot of
connecting walls enclosing an oblong court				Lysanias of Thorikos; here are the remains of the
measuring 41 m. in length by 22 m. in breadth.				impressive precinct of Lysanias' twenty-year old
Each of the gates, which were fitted with stout				son Dexileos, one of the five knights killed in
doors that were closed during an emergency, had				battle in 394 BC, during the Corinthian War.
two openings divided by a central pier to allow for				Although Dexileos, together with his
the simultaneous passage of two carriages.				fellow-cavalrymen, was given a state funeral and
Because of its great importance, the Dipylon was				buried in the public sector of the cemetery,
exceptionally well fortified. Protected by massive				Lysanias erected this cenotaph as his own private
walls terminating in huge square corner towers				tribute to his son. The monument, which stood
reinforced by salients, two flanking the outer, two				upon a massive base of conglomerate, consists of
the inner gate, and with supplementary defenses				a splendid marble relief in Pentelic marble, crowned
in the ingenious utilization of the space between				by a pediment, representing Dexileos riding down
the gates, it was virtually impregnable. Should				a fallen enemy warrior (this is a cast; the original
enemy troops be successful in overcoming the				can be seen in the Museum). As was the custom
resistance of the defenders at the outer gate and				in antiquity the group was painted, while the
penetrate the interior of the building, they would				victor's lance and the bridle of his steed (both
find themselves trapped within the restricted				now lost) were of bronze. This relief, reminiscent
confines of the courtyard. There, surrounded on				of St. George killing the Dragon, is one of the
all sides, they would be at the mercy of a second				many examples that show the influence of
body of defenders strongly entrenched behind				Classical art on Byzantine iconography. On the
thick ramparts.				base of the relief is the inscription: "Dexileos, son
Standing at the Dipylon and facing northwest, we				of Lysanias of Thorikos, was born in the
can see traces of the road that led to Plato's				archonship of Teisandros (414 BC), and died in
Academy stretching before us. On our right is a				that of Eubolides (394 BC) in Corinth, one of five
large rectangular stepped base for the support of				Knights".
a monument that stood in front of the central				On the front of the precinct stand two pillar stelai:
pier of the outer gate. Further right, directly				the taller, crowned with a palmette anthemion,
opposite the central pier of the inner gate, are the				honors the memory of Dexileos' brother Lysias;
remains of a circular altar bearing a dedicatory				the other, with a pediment and rosettes, that of
inscription to Zeus Herkeios (protector of walled				their sister Melitta. Three other tombs, all trapezai,
enclosures), to Hermes (god of roads and				have been found within the precinct. Only one,
gateways), and to Acamas (tribal hero of the				however, can be positively identified; this, is
Kerameikos).				inscribed with the names of Lysanias, another of
On the left lie the remains of the Pompeion (from				Dexileos' brothers, his wife Kallistrate, and their
the Greek pompi, that is, a solemn procession),				son Kalliphanes.
built of poros in about 400 BC. Though designed				After the precinct of Dexileos, the line of family
primarily as a gymnasium, it later served other				plots is broken by a narrow path that climbs up
purposes; for example, as center for the				to the grave terrace, and, tomb of Hieronymus, a
distribution of food in time of need. The Pompeion				famous actor who lived about 270 BC. Behind this
was the favorite meeting-place of philosophers,				tomb is the tomb of Macareus, another actor
and on its walls were portraits of some of their				famed in antiquity.
number; a statue of Socrates, the work of				In the angle formed by the junction of the
Lysippus, also stood there. Its principal functionn				Sacred Way and the Street of Tombs is the
however, was that of storehouse for the heavy				rectangular Sanctuary of the Tritopatreis
vehicles and other properties employed on the				(Ancestral Gods). That this sanctuary, sacred to
occasion of the religious processions of the				the worship of ancestors and the cult of the
Panathenaea and the Great Eleusinia, and also as				family, is of great antiquity, is attested by an
the place of assembly for those participating in				archaic inscription cut into a stone built into the
them.				wall of the court.
The POMPEION measured 55 m. in length by 30				Just beyond the Tritopatreion, but on the
m. in breadth, and consisted of a court				opposite side of the Street of Tombs, two stelai
surrounded by columns, thirteen along the sides				are in situ: the first, a broad pillar stele with a
and six at the ends. The propylon, which stood				pediment, is that of Thersandros and Simylus,
opposite the inner gate of the Dipylon, consisted				envoys from the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), who
of two columns between side walls, with an				died in Athens in 375 BC. The other, built on a
entrance for pedestrians on either side of the				lower level, is that of Pythagoras, proxenos
central passage. The ruts left by the passage of				(consul) of Athens at Selymbria in Thrace.
vehicles, the holes drilled for the fittings of the				Leaving these stelai, we turn left into the
gates, and the furrows scored by opening and				Southern Way. Here, on the right, is the grave
closing them are still visible in the paving. The				terrace of the sisters Pamphile and Demetria (c.
Pompeion was destroyed during Sulla's siege of				350 BC), with, the tombstone of Dorcas of
Athens in 86 BC.				Sicyon; a large naiskos framing, one of the most
Facing the ruins of the Pompeion are the remains				beautiful funerary reliefs of the fourth century, in
of the Pompeion of Hadrian, a structure erected				which Pamphile is represented seated, with
during the second century AD, and razed by the				Demetria. To the right of this fine piece of
barbarian Heruli, a Teutonic tribe originating in				sculpture is, the base of the stele of Demetria
Jutland, in AD 267. The Pompeion of the Roman				(now in the National Archaeological Museum), and
period was smaller than its predecessor and was				behind it stands, the loutrophoros of Hegetor, with
built on a different plan.				a small relief depicting a scene of farewell; then,
In front of the Dipylon is the starting point of the				the inscribed stele of Glykera, and the trapeza of
stately AVENUE OF THE ACADEMY that in				another Demetria. Next to the plot of Pamphile
antiquity led to the Academy of Plato but today				and Demetria is that of Philoxenos of Messine,
lies buried outside the present area of excavation.				which includes, in a line, three trapezai, upon which
From the time of Solon (640-558 BC), a state				stand remains of the bases of the lekythoi of
burial along this Avenue was the highest award				Parthenios and Dion, and the stele of Philoxenos,
that could be granted to those who had rendered				their father; the statue (now headless) of
signal service, military or political, to the city. The				Philoxenos' wife, and the cippi of some of their
Avenue of the Academy was lined on both sides				slaves.
with imposing funerary monuments erected by				From the grave terrace of Pamphile and
the State, either memorials in honor of				Demetria, a path leads direct to the temenos of
outstanding individuals, or polyandreia for the burial				Hecate, gray goddess of night and the nether
of groups of warriors who had died in battle, or				world, which lies in the open space between the
again cenotaphia, that is, empty tombs raised as				grove below the Museum and the back of the
memorials to those who had also lost their lives in				Street of Tombs. Here, the remains of a hearth
the service of the city but whose bodies were				altar, in which a relief showing a scene of sacrifice,
either buried elsewhere or could not be found for				above a dedication to Artemis-Hecate, is set into
interment.				the north side. A stone omphalos, or navel, stands
Proceeding down the Avenue we pass between				between the eschara and a niche, built in brick.
the remains of walls and monuments and at the				This latter held the triangular statue of the triple
end of the paved section we turn left down a				Hecate, (now in the National Archaeological
slight slope. This path leads to the Tomb of the				Museum), for this sinister deity, patroness of
Lacedaemonians (just below the church of Aghia				ghosts and witchcraft, who also haunted
Triada), and the second boundary stone. The				crossroads and graveyards, was usually
tomb is divided into three compartments and				represented by three identical figures of the
contained the skeleton of thirteen Spartans who				goddess, standing back to back, each with its
were killed during the heavy fighting at the				special attributes: torches, keys, swords, lances,
Peiraeus in 403 BC, when Thrasybulus overthrew				dogs, and snakes.
the Thirty Tyrants. Among the marble blocks of				To the south, in the grove below the Museum, lies
the monument, on which were inscribed the				the post-Classical cemetery, in which the only
names of the fallen, is one recording the deaths				grave-markers worthy of note are the triangular
of the two polemarchs, Chaeron and Thibrachus,				pillar of Sosibios of Sounion standing on a low
mentioned by Xenophon who, with the Olympic				mound and, an unusually tall pillar stele, inscribed
victor Lactates, were buried in the Kerameikos.				with a list of names.
This block of marble can be seen inside the				This list of memorials enumerated is merely a
Museum.				small selection from the vast number found during
Amid the many ruins and ill-defined paths that				excavation; many others have been removed to
cover the present area of excavation the easiest				the safety of the Kerameikos and National
course is to retrace our steps from the Tomb of				Archaeological Museums. With the exception of
the Lacedaemonians as far as the Sacred Gate.				the tombs of the actors Hieronumus and
Just before we reach the foundations of a small				Macareus and of course, the stelai and other
sanctuary, so far unidentified, that lies about 45				funerary marbles described are anterior to 310
meters from the Sacred Gate, the ancient road				BC, when the sumptuary laws of Demetrius
branches off to the right. We proceed along this				Phalereus prohibited large expenditure on private
road, which runs parallel to the course of the				tombs. Henceforth, it was decreed, only trapezai
Eridanus and leads us to the family grave terraces				(simple commemorative tablets), and kioniskoi,
below the church of Aghia Triada.				that is, truncated columns with a moulding to
The wealthy were usually buried in family plots,				keep a wreath or fillet in place, were to be
separately walled and adorned with stelai and				permitted. The result is to be seen in the dreary
sculpture. The extant funerary monuments, the				collection of stone cylinders, varying greatly in
majority of which date from the fourth century				size, arranged near the entrance to the Museum.
BC, are of various types: plain pillar, or palmette				During the more than three thousand years of its
anthemion stelai; columns, sometimes surmounted				existence the Kerameikos has many times been
by a device, or the representation of an animal;				devastated and countless tombs plundered and
lekythoi and loutrophoroi, large vases marking the				destroyed. With the advent of Christianity much
graves of those who died unmarried; trapezai,				of the statuary was smashed by religious fanatics.
that is, tombs in the form of chests, with				Later the cemetery gradually fell into disuse and
table-like tops; naiskoi, temple-like shrines, or				served as a dumping ground for rubbish, so that
chapels, in which sculptured reliefs or paintings				in 1862, when the Greek Archaeological Society
were set in deep frames with pediments;				undertook the first excavations, the once-glorious
sarcophagoi, marble tombslabs; and cippi, small				Kerameikos lay buried beneath the accumulated
undecorated columns customarily placed over the				refuse of the centuries. In 1913, after a period of
graves of slaves.				fruitful collaboration between Greek and German
The following itinerary takes us to the tombs on				Archaeologists, it was decided to entrust future
the Sacred Way, the Street of Tombs, and the				excavation of the area to the German
cross-street rising off it to the south. The more				Archaeological Institute of Athens which continues
interesting funerary monuments are numbered in				its mission ever since.

Asia Travex

The Kerameikos