The motif of the siren in the sepulchral art of Ancient Greece

Abstract

Sirens were known in ancient Greece as half‐human, half‐bird. Mentions of them can be found in written sources with themes concerning gods and heroes. In art, sirens appear in a variety of forms. Since numerous monuments derive from the sepulchral art of ancient Greece, the purpose of this article is to analyse the motif of the siren in this very context. Using written sources and studies, the article presents information on the origin of sirens, their appearance and attributes, and stories in which sirens appear (for example, in the voyage of Odysseus or the expedition of the Argonauts). Then, the development of the iconography of sirens in ancient Greek art during different eras is briefly outlined. The central part of the text is concerned with the analysis and interpretation of images of sirens from specific monuments related to the theme of death.