BRINGING THE DIVER HOME LOCAL ELITES, ARTISANS, AND ESOTERICISM IN LATE ARCHAIC PAESTUM

Abstract

Since its discovery in a small rural necropolis about 1.5 kilometers south of Paestum, the
Tomb of the Diver has been discussed within large and rather abstract frameworks such as
‘Greek’ and ‘Etruscan’ art and culture. The paper presents new evidence that helps contextualize
the Tomb of the Diver in local traditions, both artistic and social. The analysis of other frescoed
tombs, though without figurative scenes, from the late sixth to the late fifth century BC
suggests that the Tomb of the Diver is only understandable against the backdrop of the local
context. However, the tomb may also be linked to wider Mediterranean trends in philosophy,
religion, ritual and art. To describe the interaction between local and Mediterranean factors, the
author makes use of the concept of ‘glocalization’ which originates in the economics of globalization
but which has recently been applied to the fields of cultural studies and archaeology.