Funerary Monuments of 1821 Revolutionaries in Athens First Cemetery

Abstract

Previously inaccessible archival sources, as well as in situ observation, provide
useful information on the corpus of funerary monuments of 1821 Revolution figures in
Athens First Cemetery. These spatially dispersed monuments are mostly unknown. Being
both works of art and bearers of historical contexts and narratives, they reflect the beliefs
and trends of nineteenth-century Greek society. The fighters have become interlocutors
with the ancient predecessors, thus dictating to the collective consciousness and
subconsciousness the historical necessity of continuity and of the mission entailed in it.
Within the context of the fluctuating geography and anthropogeography of Athens First
Cemetery, and under the pressure of its permanent usage, issues of collective memory
and preservation have emerged. Consequently, the practices of the local authorities in this
regard constitute an interesting field of research.