Sphinx

Whose Tomb Did This Sphinx Guard? An Etruscan family placed this sphinx at the entrance to a tomb in Vulci (modern Italy) in the mid-sixth century BCE. We do not know their names. But we do know that they wanted this sphinx to guard them in the afterlife. Can it do that, from here in Cambridge? Many objects displayed in our ancient art galleries come from tombs. The fact that they are now in a museum collection means that the graves of ancient people were disturbed and disrupted. From destructive practices, these objects and the memories of the individuals to whom they belonged have come into the care of the Harvard Art Museums. As we consider more ethical ways to display funerary objects, we invite you to remember these ancient individuals—those whose names we know and those whose names are lost—and we welcome your responses to our efforts. Scan to share your thoughts: [QR code: https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_00AJP3bn0h67MEK] Caring for the Dead at the Harvard Art Museums