Paleo-Christian Sarcophagi
A great deal about Christian beliefs and practices can be learned from study of the sarcophagi of the 3rd through 8th centuries. I have photographed quite a few of these and refer to them in various parts of this web site. For those whose interest is in the sarcophagi themselves, here is a list of the ones featured on the web site. (Images are available by passing a mouse over the links. Further discussion will be found by following the links.)
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Palazzo Massimo, Rome
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Sarcophagus of Marcus Claudianus
Subjects shown: The Nativity, The Woman with the Flow of Blood, Abraham and Isaac, Moses Receives the Law, Harvest and Vintage, Peter's Water Miracle, Peter's Arrest, Cana, The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, Lazarus
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San Sebastiano, Rome
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Sarcophagus of Lot
Subject shown: Adam and Eve Expelled from Paradise
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Musée Réattu, Arles, France
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Sarcophagus with Scenes of St. Peter
Subjects shown: The Three Youths in the Furnace, The Adoration of the Magi, Peter's Water Miracle, Peter's Arrest, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, Orant, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Cana, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Lazarus
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Sarcophagus with Scenes from Scripture
Subjects shown: The Slaughter of the Innocents, Abraham and Isaac, Adam and Eve, Moses Receives the Law, Jesus Cures the Paralytic, The Woman with the Flow of Blood, The Adoration of the Magi, Cana, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Peter's Water Miracle, Soldiers-Tree-Man Reading Scroll
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Metropolitan Museum, New York City
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Sarcophagus Frontal with Scenes from the Lives of St. Peter and Jesus
Subjects shown: Peter's Water Miracle, Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Lazarus
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Cathedral of St. Domnius, Split, Croatia
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Good Shepherd Sarcophagus
Subject shown: A shepherd with two sheep
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Archeological Museum, Split, Croatia
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Sarcophagus with the Crossing of the Red Sea
Subject of the the entire frontal is the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea. On the rear are an orant and two men with scrolls.
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Sarcophagus of Julia Aurelia Hilara
Subjects shown: Good shepherd, Rams Grazing
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Staurogram Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Staurograms, birds, alpha and omega, fisher
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Sarcophagus End with Vintage
Subjects shown: Left end of a pagan sarcophagus portraying vintage
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Three fragments of a sarcophagus cover
Subjects shown: Left and right acroteria with sheep and names of the apostles. Central relief with a Chi-Rho, gospel quotation, and Christ symbolized as the Lamb of God
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The Good Shepherd Sarcophagus
Subject: A shepherd, possibly intended to refer to Jesus as the Good Shepherd
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Museo Pio Cristiano, The Vatican
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Passion Sarcophagus with Pilate's Wife
Subjects shown: Crucifixion and Resurrection (symbolic), Pilate and his Wife, Arrest of Peter. Peter's Preaching? Peter's Water Miracle?
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Sarcophagus of the Cross
Subjects shown: Arrests of Peter and Jesus, Jesus with the Cross, Pilate
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The Sarcophagus of Two Brothers
Subjects shown: Lazarus, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, Moses Receives the Law, Abraham and Isaac, Pilate, Peter's Arrest, Daniel, Soldiers-Man-Scroll, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Jesus Cures the Paralytic (?)
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Star-and-Crown Sarcophagus
Subject shown: Fragment showing four apostles with crowns, presumed facing a now-lost symbolic Anastasis
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Columnar Sarcophagus with Anastasis and Apostles (inventory 31529)
Subject shown: Symbolic representation of the resurrection, framed by the twelve apostles bringing wreaths
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The Ludovisi Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Jesus Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus (or the son of the widow of Naim), Lazarus, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Peter's Water Miracle
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Sarcophagus of Domatilla
Subjects shown: Carrying of the Cross, Jesus Crowned with Thorns, Chi-Rho, Resurrection, Pilate
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The Jonah Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Lazarus, Moses' Water Miracle, Resurrection, Shepherd, Jonah, Noah, Fishers
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Child Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Adoration of the Magi, Nativity, Daniel, Chi-Rho, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Peter's Water Miracle, Peter's Arrest
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Sarcophagus Lid (inventory 31533)
Subjects shown: Adam and Eve, Moses Receives the Law, Adoration of the Magi, Noah, Jonah, Peter's Water Miracle
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Sarcophagus Lid from the Cemetery of Callixtus (inventory 31483)
Subjects shown: Jonah, Daniel, Abraham and Isaac
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Sarcophagus of Crispina
Subjects shown: Adoration of the Magi, Nativity, Daniel, Chi-Rho, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Peter's Water Miracle, Peter's Arrest
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Sarcophagus of Fyrmus
Subjects shown: Shepherd, Fisher
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The Ezekiel Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Peter's Water Miracle, Peter's Arrest, The Dry Bones (?), Jesus Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem
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Sarcophagus of Agape and Crescentianus
Subjects shown:
- Lid: The Three Youths in the Furnace, Jonah
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Case: Abraham and Isaac, Moses Receives the Law, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, The Woman with the Flow of Blood, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Peter's Water Miracle
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Left end: Adam and Eve
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Right end: The Three Youths in the Furnace
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The Dogmatic Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Creation of Eve by the Trinity, Cana, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Lazarus, Adoration of the Magi, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Daniel, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, Peter's Arrest, Peter's Water Miracle
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Sarcophagus 31471 ext 134
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Lid, with Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem, Traditio Legis, Daniel, Lazarus
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Case, with Noah and the Three Youths in the Furnace
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Double-Register Sarcophagus (inventory 31546)
Subjects shown: Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, Moses Receives the Law, Abraham and Isaac, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Lazarus, Orant, Peter's Arrest, The Three Youths in the Furnace, Daniel, Cana, Jesus Cures the Paralytic, Peter's Water Miracle
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Sarcophagus (inventory 31541)
Subjects shown: Cana, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Jesus Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, The Woman with the Flow of Blood, Snake-Tree-Altar (?)
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Sarcophagus (inventory 31551)
Subjects shown: Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem, Tasks Assigned to Adam and Eve, Moses Receives the Law, Abraham and Isaac, Jesus Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Peter's Water Miracle, Peter's Arrest, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, Daniel, Jesus Cures the Paralytic, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, The Woman with the Flow of Blood, Cana
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Archeological Museum, Syracuse, Sicily
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The Sarcophagus of Adelphia
Subjects shown:
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Lid: Annunciation or ?, Sophia or Virgin Mary, Adoration of the Magi, Nativity
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Upper Register: Tasks Assigned to Adam and Eve, Jesus-Peter-Rooster, The Woman with the Flow of Blood, Moses Receives the Law, Abraham and Isaac, Jesus Cures the Blind Man, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus
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Lower Register: The Three Youths in the Furnace, Cana, Adoration of the Magi, Adam and Eve, Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem
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Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy
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Sarcophagus with Sheep Approaching Christ
Subjects shown: Chi-Rhos, Cross, Chariot wheels, lambs, wreath, palm trees
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Columnar Sarcophagus with Sheep Eating Dates
Subjects shown: Sheep, date trees, crosses, scallop shells
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Sarcophagus with Sheep Carrying Crosses
Subjects shown: Sheep carry crosses to an I-X Monogram in a wheel
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Temple Veil Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Cross framed by temple veil, Christ as Lamb of God, I-X monogram, Four Rivers of Paradise, Peacocks eating grapes
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Right
and
Left
Ends of a Sarcophagus
Subjects shown: Christ as the Lamb of God, Noah's Dove, Four Rivers of Paradise, Peacocks, Cross
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Sarcophagus with Peacocks at the Rivers of Paradise
Subjects shown: Peacocks, Chi-Rho, The Four Rivers of Paradise, date palms, urn
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Sarcophagus of St. Felix
Subjects shown: Epitaph, sheep, crosses, wreaths, staurogram-style cross, architectural arches, chandeliers, alpha and omega
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Sarcophagus with Traditio Legis
Subjects shown: Traditio Legis, Peter and successors (?)
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Museo Nazionale, Ravenna, Italy
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Sarcophagus with Lambs and Wreath
Subjects shown: Lambs, wreath, Chi-Rho, palms, urn, cross, alpha and omega
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Sarcophagus with Lambs Approaching Wreath
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Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
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Sarcophagus of Valentinian III
Subjects shown: Sheep, date palms, wheels (?)
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The Getty Villa
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Sarcophagus with Vintage Scene
Subjects shown: Vintage, lions