Fragments of an ancient Greek burial monument made of white marble were unearthed recently near the Athens International airport, Greece's Culture and Sports Ministry announced on Sunday.

The grave column, shaped like a small temple depicting two life-size females, was found in the summer of 2020 during routine excavations before the start of construction works to build the new city hall of Paiania, according to an e-mailed press release.

The two women in the fragmented sculpture are facing each other. On the right is the deceased seated on an elegant seat with her feet resting on a footstool, is wearing a transparent dress. On the left, in front of her, stands her servant supporting her head on her left hand in sorrow.

The monument is considered to be dated to the 4th century BC, according to Greek archaeologists. They believe that it was set up inside the cemetery of the ancient municipality of Paiania.

The same theme is often found in burial monuments of this period in the Attica Region. Similar grave columns have been unearthed in the neighboring municipality of Markopoulo and in the ancient cemetery of Kerameikos near the Acropolis hill in the center of Athens, the press statement added.

The item has been transferred to the nearby Archeological Museum of Vravrona, while the excavation continues. 

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