Sarcophagus with the Muses

Excavated in 1831 in a necropolis by Pietro Campana and Bartolomeo Pacca. The sarcophagus was sawn into pieces between 1869 and 1885. The front is since 1946-1947 in Berlin.
Date: Hadrianic or Antonine. W 1.04, h. 0.365.

In view of the measurements this is a sarcophagus of a child. The nine Muses are depicted, flanking trees. The first pair stands on either side of a laurel tree. The Muse on the left raises her left hand to her mouth. The Muse on the right holds a scroll in her left hand and raises her right hand in a gesture of speech. The second pair frames an oak tree. The one on the left holds a comical mask in her left hand. The right Muse lowers her left arm in the direction of a lyre lying on a rock. The third pair flanks an olive tree. The Muse on the left holds a writing tablet in her left hand. The right Muse holds a tragic mask in her left hand. The last pair is separated by a plane tree. The Muse on the left holds a globe in her left hand. The Muse on the right touches with her left hand a zither standing in front of her on a rock. She looks back to the ninth muse, who is holding an open diptych in her raised right hand. See also the page "Sawn into pieces".

Inv. nr. Sk 1937. Paschetto nr. 310. Arachne 106152. Photo: Heres 1982, Abb. 1.