Athens and Lycia

Carved figures from a tomb in southwest Turkey share this room with objects connected to Athens. The Harpy Tomb reliefs came from Xanthos in Lycia. Their place in the gallery brings Greek forms into contact with a different setting for burial and commemoration. The room explores democratic Athens alongside its maritime empire and its relations with the Lycians. Pottery and sculpture carry that history at different scales. A painted vessel might circulate through trade, while stone reliefs belonged to a fixed tomb or shrine. Look at how a figure fits within a panel and how the carved surface frames its action. The sculpture’s Greek connections do not make the tomb an Athenian building. Keep the place of use in mind as you compare the Lycian material with objects from Athens.