Stelae
Description: Stelae are carved stones erected vertically, formed from a single piece of stone. It mainly contains carved inscriptions and ornaments. The main façade is the engraved surface.
Stelae have unique characteristics that are easy to identify and distinguish from other architectural elements. Their surface can include architectural elements such as pediment. They usually contain up to four registers.
Stelae are divided into two main types: funerary stelae and votive stelae.
Funerary Stelae
They are stelae that commemorate the deceased. They are erected as a memorial or placed next to the tomb. They usually contain a frame dedicated to writing the name of the deceased, his title, the profession he practiced, the positions he held and other personal information, in addition to mentioning the number of years he lived.
Funerary stelae usually contain a register containing architectural elements, and a triangular, semicircular or arched front.
Ornaments : presence of decorative elements and astronomical symbols, plant and animal representations and inscriptions. It can also include a carving of the image of the deceased.
Votive Stelae
They are offered to commemorate a sacrifice offered to the gods, usually as gratitude for having answered a prayer. It contains promises made to God after the wish is granted.
These stelae contain several registers: the upper register, known as the celestial register, is dedicated to the representation of the god or his symbols, the middle register is dedicated to the representation of the owner of the vow or his spouse, while the lower register is consecrated to represent the sacrifice offered. We also note in many stelae the presence of inscriptions between the registers.