Side Panel of a Grave Naiskos with the Relief of a Young Hunter

A young man wearing a short, belted tunic carries a pair of hunting spears on this relief from one side of a funerary monument. An indistinct object or objects hang from the weapons where they rest on the hunter’s left shoulder. The rounded shape at the top may represent a petasos, a broad-brimmed hat worn by hunters and travelers, while the bag-like shape at the bottom is likely a purse net, used in antiquity for catching rabbits. This relief was originally painted, and colored details would have made it easier to identify the objects.

A curved molding at the top right corner indicates that this relief panel was part of a three-sided naiskos, an elaborate funerary monument constructed in the form of a small, open-fronted building. It would have formed the right-hand side of the naiskos, with the carving on the interior and the young hunter looking toward an image of the deceased on the back wall. Being shown with horse, hound, servant, or hunting gear established the high rank and status of the deceased in society.

The style, subject, and fine, low-relief carving is characteristic of the best sculpture produced in Thessaly in northern Greece. A short chiton, a petasos, and paired spears are the usual attributes of male figures on Thessalian grave reliefs. Additionally, the boldly striated grey and white marble from which the relief is carved is often seen in northern Greek monuments.