steleissä

Steleissä, also known as Steles, are an ancient art form consisting of upright stone slabs or pillars, typically inscribed, carved, or painted with commemorative, historical, or religious information. They served a variety of purposes across different cultures and time periods, often acting as markers for graves, boundaries, or significant events.

The earliest known examples of stelae originate from Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE. The Egyptians used stelae for funerary purposes, depicting the deceased and offering prayers or biographical details. The famous Rosetta Stone, a stele discovered in 1799, was crucial in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs due to its inscription in three scripts: hieroglyphic, Demotic, and Ancient Greek.

In Greece, stelae were commonly used as gravestones, particularly during the Archaic and Classical periods. These often featured relief sculptures of the deceased, portraying them in everyday activities or as idealized figures. Roman stelae also served as gravestones and were frequently adorned with portraits and epitaphs.

Beyond funerary contexts, stelae were also employed for legal and administrative purposes. The Code of Hammurabi, a Babylonian stele from the 18th century BCE, is one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes, inscribed with the laws of the land. Similarly, boundary stelae, known as herms in some cultures, were used to demarcate property lines or sacred areas. The variety of materials, from limestone and granite to basalt and marble, reflects the availability and artistic traditions of the regions where they were created.