Palermo warrior stele

MAC BCN-019878
Object type stele
Culture/period Protohistory and Iberian world
Materials limestone
Technique carving
Mint
Production date -200 / -50
Current location Exposició permanent
Archaeological site Palerm
Township Caspe (Europa, Espanya, Aragó, Saragossa)
Dimensions 1300 x 690 x 270 mm
Description
The stele of Palermo is carved in limestone and is incomplete. In the centre is a horseman armed with an oval shield with a marked shield boss and a spear. At the bottom, at the foot of the horse, there are two figures, a man and an animal, wounded, beaten and pierced with a spear. At the bottom of the stele we can see two rows of straight spears, in groups of eight. The frieze above, partially lost. is decorated with sinuous lines, while a rope motif achieved by V-shaped lines delimits the left lateral side, the only one preserved, but it would have defined the whole original perimeter. The functionality of these steles is unknown. Generally they are considered an element marking the territory by the local aristocrat, with a strong symbolism related to heroization and representation of power by the character represented in an attitude of the victor.
Read more
© Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Barcelona
Omeka ID 2543