Object type
sarcophagus
Culture/period
Roman world
Materials
Carrara marble
Technique
sculpting
Mint
Production date
150 / 200
Current location
Exposició permanent
Archaeological site
Necròplis de Portus Illicitanus
Township
Santa Pola (Europa, Espanya, País Valencià, Alacant)
Dimensions
53 x 205 x 63 cm
Description
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White marble sarcophagus made in Italy, decorated in relief of representing the kidnapping of Proserpina. According to the myth, Pluto, god of hell, kidnapped Proserpina to marry her. The mother of Proserpina, Ceres, who had not consented to the marriage, abandoned her duties
as goddess of agriculture to look for the kidnapped daughter. Then the land became barren. To solve this, Jupiter decided that Proserpina should lived with her mother for nine months, during which the land would be fruitful. In winter, Proserpina would return to hell with her husband and the land would remain barren.
The sarcophagus was found in a necropolis in Portus Illicitanus (now Santa Pola, Alicante) and moved to Barcelona in the late eighteenth century, as the acquisition of a private collector.
© Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Barcelona
Omeka ID
2405