Original scientific paper

On Several Imperial Period Sarcophagi with Portraits from Asia Minor

Guntram Koch ; Universität Marburg, Christlich Archäologisches Seminar

Abstract

The workshops of Asia Minor produced a great number of sarcophagi in the Roman Imperial period. As in other regions of the Roman Empire, the tendency can be noted to depict the deceased in an appropriate manner, in this way "individualizing" the monument itself. The main group of monuments (sarcophagi with colonnades from the workshop of Dokimeion) can easily be distinguished from those of the local workshops. These workshops also successfully solved the problem of individualization by introducing a lid in the shape of a wedge (kline) with reclining depictions of the deceased (in place of a roof-shaped lid) around 160-170 AD. The local Asia Minor workshops attempted in various manners to individualize sarcophagi, such as with: 1) an inscription, 2) busts within arches on garland sarcophagi, 3) busts as the main motif on the front of the sarcophagus, 4) individually depicted figures (entire) on the friezes of sarcophagi, 5) portrait figures on column sarcophagi, 6) individual features indicating the social position, profession, or personal characteristics of the deceased, 7) portraits on the acroteria of roof-shaped sarcophagus lids, 8) portraits on the gables of roof-shaped sarcophagus lids, 9) portraits on the longer sides of roof-shaped sarcophagus lids, 9) wedge-shaped lids (kline) with reclining depictions of the deceased.
This article discusses the forms noted above as no. 3, sarcophagi with busts as the main motif. These sarcophagi are widely distributed throughout an extensive area of Asia Minor: at Demircili (previously Dösene, probably the ancient Imbrogion Kome), by the Seleukeia-Silifke road towards Diokaisareia-Uzuncaburç (fig. 1-12; end of the 2nd cent. AD), at Canbazli, east of Diokaisareia (fig. 16-20, end of the 2nd cent. AD?), near the village of Sağliki Köyü, about 15 km north of Tarsos (fig. 21-24, beginning of the 3rd cent. AD?), a sarcophagus in the museum at Adana, whose right long side bears the bust of a man (fig. 25-26, end of the 2nd cent. AD). Sarcophagi with busts have also been found at Pamphylia, Pisidia, Lykaonia, Aphrodisias, and in one case even nearby Afyon, hence in the vicinity of
Dokimeion, where the main group of Asia Minor sarcophagi was developed. No parallels exist in Rome or Athens, and the same is true for examples of busts on the sides of tabulae from Salona or Sirmium, as well as several examples with such busts from Beroia and Thessaloniki that have no connections to the sarcophagi in Asia Minor. The busts cannot be explained through influences or the adoption of forms from other regions. The models were evidently relief images on the funerary monuments of Asia Minor, on which the bust of the deceased was also often depicted.

Keywords

Asia Minor; Roman Imperial period; workshops; sarcophagus; portrait

Hrčak ID:

37212

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/37212

Publication date:

23.5.2009.

Article data in other languages: german croatian

Visits: 1.883 *