Name/Title
Child Seasons Sarcophagus with LidEntry/Object ID
HM-356. a&bTags
Pacifici purchaseDescription
Seasons child size sarcophagus with lid.
Carved in Rome 290-310 CE
Roman sarcophagus (a) with lid (b).
a) Sarcophagus front frieze has robed central figure with animals & figures representing the deceased with seasons on either side. The seasons are represented by their common Roman iconography (Spring with garlands, Summer with grain, Fall with grapes, Winter with ducks). However the season are not in order; the figures are, from left to right: winter, spring, the seasons generally, the deceased, the seasons generally, fall, and winter.
b) Lid has a reclining young girl figure with uncarved face holding dog depicting the deceased girl.
Both portrayals of the girl are unfinished.
Both pieces have cracks that have been mended and small sections missing. Base was made from 2 separate pieces of marble and clamped together, clamp channels are visible on the inside.
Latest scholarship has identified the marble being from Greece.
Provenance:
1780, the Sassi brothers discovered the Tomb of the Scipios outside the walls of Rome.
1831, the underground Scipios tomb was excavated
1843 illustration of excavation shows the sarcophagus on site on display.
1877, the same site was photographed, again showing the sarcophagus on display.
1828, Hammond bought it from Armando Pacifici. (see Cohon email files in archives for more info)
John Hays Hammond Jr. was known to use this as a diving platform into his courtyard pool.General Notes
Note Type
HM356 a&b Season Sarcophagus (1984 condition report, vandalism)Note Type
1977 Hammond Castle Souvenir Guidebk by N R Kline, J J Bolten (21)Note Type
1966 Corinne Witham Guidebook (31)Note Type
2023-08-07 Cohon - Gloucester-SeasonSarc-ProvenanceNote Type
2006-02-03 artifact list w 1983 values, copy (1)Note Type
1951 Tour Manual 009Note Type
1928-11-24 from Armando Pacifici (windows, capitals, all purchases to date) p (1-2)
