Athena, leaning on her spear, is gazing with downcast head at a grave monument.]

The winter solstice is upon us and with it the annual pilgrimage to the Newgrange passage- grave monument in Co Meath.

Sculptured grave monuments were common in Greece at least as early as the sixth century.

Reliefs were chiefly used for temple pediments and friezes, and also for the many grave monuments.