Nereid Monument Sculptures

Ancient Greek The Nereid Monument was a tomb for a Lycian ruler built around 390 BCE, combining Greek architectural forms with local traditions. The structure resembled an Ionic temple, with Nereids (sea nymphs) standing between columns, their drapery billowing as if caught in a sea breeze. The monument stood at Xanthos (in modern Turkey) until British archaeologists removed it in 1842.

The Nereids' windswept clothing demonstrates advances in sculpting fabric that would culminate in works like the Winged Victory. Friezes depicted battle scenes and a ruler's life, blending Greek artistic vocabulary with non-Greek subjects. The monument's reconstruction in the British Museum shows how Greek art spread throughout the Mediterranean.

The sculptures are displayed at the British Museum.