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A SHORT NOTE ABOUT IAPODIAN URNS AND SARCOPHAGI
NENAD CAMBI
Sažetak
A very interesting sarcophagus of a certain Titus Flavius Marcellus, who was a seplasiarius – a merchant of perfume, was discovered at Prozor in Lika (Croatia) more than one hundred years ago (fig. 1). The sarcophagus is only decorated on the front side. The tabella ansata was placed in the centre of the sarcophagus’s body. It contained the following inscription: D(is) M(anibus) / T(itus) Fl(avius) Marcellus / seplasiarius An(nos) LXX / S(ibi) V(ivus) F(ecit). The epitaph shows characteristics of the early 2nd century AD. This period is suggested by the lapidary style of the
inscription, the appearance of the formula D.M. and abbreviation S.V.P. that only appears on early forms of funerary monuments. But, also the nomenclature of the sarcophagus’s owner is very significant and reveals that Marcellus acquired Roman citizenship during the Flavian period. It is very likely that he was born between 40 and 70AD. Bearing in mind the fact that Marcellus lived for 70 years, the sarcophagus must have been made before the end of Hadrian's reign. The form of the chest is also very characteristic. Besides the central tabella ansata, it also displays vertical stripes on the sides of the front. These stripes are in fact the angular pilasters, which were decorated with vertically placed dolphins. Such elements do not exist on early Dalmatian sarcophagi from the 2nd century AD. Tabella ansata on such sarcophagi became the standard element only with mass production, which began in the 3rd century. However, the closest parallels are the urns in the Lika region (inhabited by the Illyrian people - the Iapodes). These urns were used during the long period from the 6th century BC (figs 1 and 4) until the 3rd century AD (figs 2 and 5). Marcellus’s sarcophagus was a product of Iapodian workshops in the period before the appearance of the series of Roman sarcophagi. The Marcellus sarcophagus is a kind of continuation of the Iapodian urn production (see development fig. 6). It may seem unusual that urns and sarcophagi appear in the same region and at the same time. But, it is quite normal, since the Iapodes practiced cremation and burial customs in parallel. Accordingly, the urns and sarcophagi were luxurious forms of funerary monuments for different burial rites.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
17867
URI
Datum izdavanja:
29.12.2003.
Posjeta: 3.035 *