Stele

A stele refers to a freestanding vertical stone monument inscribed or carved with text and imagery. In ancient societies, stelae were used to record and display laws, royal achievements, treaties, religious dedications, or funerary information. Their durable material and prominent placement allowed messages to endure over time and be seen by a wide audience. Stelae often combined writing and visual symbolism to assert authority, preserve memory, or formalize agreements. Rather than serving as decorative objects, they functioned as public documents that fixed meaning, obligation, or identity in a lasting physical form.