Stone carving of gods and worshippers

National Archeological Museum, Athens, Greece

---

Material: Marble
Date range: Late 4th-early 3rd c. BC
Origin: Found at Tegea in Arkadia

The relief depicts a central scene of divine interaction and mortal devotion, featuring five distinct figures rendered in varying scales to denote their status. On the far left, the god Pluto sits enthroned as the dominant figure of the composition. He holds a sceptre and a cornucopia, symbols representing his sovereign power over the underworld and the abundance of the earth's riches.

Standing before him are the goddesses Persephone and Demeter, who occupy the center of the panel. Persephone is shown carrying a sceptre, while Demeter is identified by her traditional ritual attributes: a flat offering bowl known as a phiale and a large torch, which alludes to her search for her daughter in the dark of the underworld.

To the far right of the scene, two women worshippers are depicted approaching the deities. These figures are carved in a significantly smaller scale than the gods, a common artistic convention in Greek relief sculpture used to visually distinguish the humble status of mortals from the monumental presence of the divine.

Museum label reference: 1422. Votive relief. Marble. Found at Tegea in Arkadia. Depiction of Pluto enthroned with a sceptre and cornucopia. In front of him stand Persephone with a sceptre and Demeter with a bowl and torch. Two women worshippers are shown at the right. Late 4th-early 3rd c. BC.

Original Text: 1422. Αναθηματικό ανάγλυφο. Μάρμαρο. Βρέθηκε στην Τεγέα, Αρκαδία. Παριστάνεται ο Πλούτων ένθρονος με σκήπτρο και κέρας Αμαλθείας. Μπροστά του στέκονται η Περσεφόνη με σκήπτρο και η Δήμητρα με φιάλη και δάδα. Δεξιά απεικονίζονται δύο λατρεύτριες. Τέλη 4ου-αρχές 3ου αι. π.Χ.

---

Supplementary images:

• 

---

Marble votive relief showing Pluto, Persephone, and Demeter with worshippers

---

Source:  Athens, Greece