Cinerary urn

Summary

The urn is made of white marble. Only the front is ancient, the rest is restored. Traces of red paint are visible to the naked eye in the inscription.

Description of object

Both the top and the bottom of the front are in the form of a smooth border. At each corner is a spirally fluted column with a composite capital. Between the capitals is a row of beads whose ends form spirals with the horns on two ram’s heads. Between the latter is the head of Medusa. In the middle of the front an inscription is positioned on a panel inside a moulded frame. Beneath the inscription a man and his wife are standing in a wide open doorway. The panel’s of the double doors are decorated with lion’s heads and above, two cupids support a triangular pediment with acroteria. Within the pediment are two birds are helping themselves to a basket of fruit. Laurel garlands hang down either side of the inscription and the doors.

At the time of the acquisition the urn was provided with a lid that did not originally belong to it.

Choice of methods

Visual examination

• Macroscopic

Bibliography

F. Poulsen (1951), Catalogue of Ancient Sculpture in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. no. 798.

J.S. Østergaard (1996), Catalogue. Imperial Rome. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. no. 26.