Seasons sarcophagus
Type:
Sarcophagi
Date:
ca. 330–35 CE
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Italy
Medium:
Marble
Dimensions:
111.8 × 224 × 116 cm
Description:
This sarcophagus is carved on one side with bust-length portraits of the deceased couple inside a zodiac ring, and four winged youths representing the seasons. Each season is identifiable by his crown: winter with a crown of reeds, spring with a crown of flowers, summer with a crown of wheat, and autumn with a crown of vine leaves. The unfinished faces of the couple suggest that they were going to be carved at a later date, possibly because such sarcophagi were mass produced and were not designed for specific patrons ahead of time.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
2
Repository and Online Resources:
• This sarcophagus is now part of Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington, DC.
Image Credits:
Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection
