Funerary Lekythos

The lekythos, a narrow oil flask, was closely tied to death in Classical Athens: lekythoi filled with oil were placed in graves and left as offerings at tombs. In the 4th century BCE large stone versions were set up as grave markers in cemeteries such as the Kerameikos, often carved with scenes of the dead taking leave of their family, shown clasping hands.

Lavish funerary monuments like these became so elaborate that Demetrios of Phaleron restricted them by law around 317 BCE.