The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Ancient Greek art has always been greatly admired both at home and abroad. This can be seen by the fact that all over Europe and Asia, indeed far beyond the Mediterranean shores, people have owned Greek works of art. Painted Athenian wine cups have even been found in the tombs of Celtic chieftains.

However, the ancient taste in Greek art was not quite the same as ours, but was much more extravagant. A good example is an examination of one of the works of Greek art which is numbered among the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.

Of the five Wonders which were the creations of Greek artists, four have long since disappeared. We must rely, therefore, on ancient descriptions and very fragmentary remains where available in order to build up an image of these masterpieces.

Fortunately a good deal survives of the fifth Wonder: the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the tomb of one Mausolos, hence the name. Mausolos was a chieftain who, as a satrap, governed Caria in south-west Turkey which was then part of the Persian empire. Examination of his tomb also shows us the way that Greek artists adapted their styles to suit foreign tastes.