Roman, early 3rd century A.D.
Marble, 17 11/16 x 76 3/4 x 19 1/2 in. (45 x 195 x 49.5 cm)
Gift of Mrs. Susan Dwight Bliss
1945.146
By the second century A.D., for reasons that are not completely clear, much of the Roman Empire had switched its preference for funereal practice from cremation to inhumation. As a result, a large industry arose in response to the burgeoning market for carved stone coffins, or sarcophagi. The sculptural decoration of sarcophagi took many forms, ranging in complexity from the repetition of simple floral motifs to elaborate mythological scenes crowded with figures. One popular class of sarcophagi, of which the present piece is a late example, features chains of garlands composed of foliage, fruit, and flowers. In this case, sea creatures and birds fill the empty spaces. A single griffin occupies both of the short sides of the sarcophagus.
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