Roman Funerary World in the Archaeological Museum of Úbeda

Funeral pieces that reveal other interesting aspects of Roman culture.

By Museo Arqueológico de Úbeda

Museo Arqueológico de Úbeda

Roman lion (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

Lion Tomb Guardians

The lion is a frequent iconografic motif in the Roman funerary world. They have a mainly symbolic character, the conjunction animal-human head is a representation of Cerberus.

Roman lion (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

This lion could be placed in the tomb's left corner, based in the presence of the human head under its left claw. The lion is represented at rest, with wide jaws, large fangs and hanging longue.

Roman lion (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

Due to the location of the human head, is the lion of the right side. The lion is missing the rear limbs and the most of the face and the human head, despite its damage, shows a bearder character.

Architectural fragment (pilaster and rhomboid motif) (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

Roman Funerary Monument

A group of architectural remains and scultures, coming from Úbeda la Vieja, has been studied as belonging to a funerary monument from the August age.

Architectural fragment (pilaster and garland) (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

The fragment with a pilaster and garlands would correspond to the upper part of the first body, since it used to be decorated with Corinthian pilasters and garlands.

Garland (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

This fragment with garland is another example of the upper part of the monument, probably between Corinthians pilasters, with flowers and fruits.

Architectural fragment( swastik symbol) (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

The swastyc symbol is one of the oldest known, born as the symbol of the Sun it envolves in diferent ways to acquire later other meanings depending on the cultural environment in wich it develops.

Architectural fragment (pilaster and rhomboid motif) (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

The fragment with a pilaster and a rhomboid motif was usually placed decorating the lower body of multystorey mausoleums.

Human head (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

This representation of a head in relief have its hair formed by thick flat locksthat look life leaves.Some describe him as a beardless young man and anothers as a femenine head.

Head sculpture of Silenus (1st century BC - 1st century AD) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

This is a Sileno's head, bearded and bald, is crowned by ivy leaves. His eyeballs prominent, his thick moustache and the bushy beard give the face a great expressiveness.

Lady with cloak (1st century BC. - 1st century AC) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

This piece represents a woman whose head is covered with a shawl, is a Roman icon known as "pudicitia", present in funerary atmospheres as an embodiment of female modesty and chastity.

Roman funerary stele (Gemina) (end of 1st century - beginning of 2nd century) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

Roman Funerary Steles

Several funerary steles with epigraphies show us the usual formulae
DMS(dedicate to the Manes gods) at the beginning and STTL (may the earth
rise) at the end.

This is the epitaph of Gemina, slave of Decius Publicius Subicius,who died at childbirth. The tombstone was erected by Caius Aerarius, naming the deceased "Parca", giving a poetic nuance to the stele.

Roman funerary stele (Acoristus) (2nd century AD - 3rd century DC) by UnknownMuseo Arqueológico de Úbeda

Very curious this stele, with some mistakes on the part of the stonemason that point to its probable Greek origin, as an H for an E or a lambda for an L.

Credits: Story

Roman Funerary World in the Archeological Museum of Úbeda

Organize:
Museo Arqueológico de Úbeda
Consejería de Cultura de la Junta de Andalucía

Texts: María del Mar Capel García
Fotography: Consejería de Cultura de la Junta de Andalucía
Digital layout: María del Mar Capel García

Museo Arqueológico de Úbeda.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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