You will be remembered: images of grief and mourning in Athenian white-ground lekythoi

<p dir="ltr">Mourning is a recurrent iconographical subject in ancient Athenian funerary art. Among the several depictions of different expressions of mourning, the scenes on pottery showing women engaging in the funerary process form one of the richest and most complex sources of images from ancient Athenian society. </p><p dir="ltr">The development of the depiction of mourning and the participation of women in the funerary process can be observed from the Archaic period through to the Classical periods. During the 5^th century BC in particular, such representations underwent iconographical changes that fundamentally changed the depiction of the interaction between mourners and their dead. </p><p dir="ltr">This research focuses on the depiction of the role of women in the mourning process and the role of gender in the funerary practices in the oikos. It explores the conceptual differences between women portrayed as mourners and as givers of gifts to the dead. To do so, this research takes lekythoi (vessels typically used in funerary rites) and analyzes the imagery produced by the most important artist who worked on these themes, the Achilles Painter, along with his workshop and minor workshops associated with it, such as the Phiale Painter and the Woman Painter. By focusing on the scenes on white-ground lekythoi depicting the visitation to the grave during the post-burial ritual and scenes depicting the preparation for such visit, this research fills a gap in iconographical studies. It also argues that white-ground lekythoi and the scenes depicted on them provide evidence for the emotional impact of the mourning restrictions on Athenian society and maintaining the memory of and the communication with dead family members.</p>