Original scientific paper
SELECTED EXAMPLES OF ROMAN SEPULCHRAL ARAE IN ISTRIA
Predrag Vuković
; Filoofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
On the territory of Roman Histria one can find almost all types of sepulchral sculpture known in archeology and art history, a fact testifying to the care given to burial rites. It is the aim of this paper to throw more light on the Roman arae in Istria, where they form a separate group of sepulchral monuments, and stress their basic iconographic and artistic characteristics. The ara is a sepulchral object in the form of a cube-shaped stone altar found on all elevated spots and places of sacrifice (where offerings were burned). They consist of an elaborated base, cubic body with a conical trabeation and an attic with pulvinus. The body and attic are usually decorated with reliefs often bearing an inscription at the front, with sculptures in relief on the sides and attic. On the arae surviving along the coast of Istria there are no representations of human figures. On the other hand, those located in the hinterland are marked by richer and more varied relief ornamentation including floreal-vegetable motifs and animal and human figures. On this basis the author divides the surviving arae of Istria into two groups: a smaller group located in the coastal Pula area, and the other located inland in the Buzet area and influenced by the workshops of Aquileia. The author stresses the difference between imported items and those of local origin. These artifacts are contrasted: the imports tend to be more classical in motifs and shape. However, one group of imported items came from some larger and better known workshops located in provincial centres; they were not completely finished, receiveding the final touches (carved inscriptions or reliefs) in the local workshops. The 9 arae presented in this paper show a certain regularity of modelling and artistic expression corresponding to characteristics commonly found in Roman sepulchral sculpture.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
151200
URI
Publication date:
15.12.1994.
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