Cameron Sadeghi

Ancient World Essay

5/13/13

The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living. This quotation, said by Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BCE-43 BCE), a Roman statesman, sums up the connection between death and the living.1 The eternal truth of humans seeking connection to the dead is evident all around us: in our cemeteries, obituaries, on the sides of buildings, and framed on our walls. This eternal truth is not only present in modern culture, but can be seen in rituals, traditions, sculptures, and works of art dating back to the beginning of the human race. One such example is the Sarcophagus with Scenes from the Lives of Saint Peter and Christ, a sarcophagus from the early 4th Century CE, which was used to hold a famous or wealthy aristocrat in death. The Early Christian sarcophagus with scenes from the lives of Christ and St. Peter is a perfect example of the eternal truth that humans seek connection to the dead. This is because it shows the wish for an eternal, peaceful afterlife, served to elevate the dead, and functioned as a reminder of the deceased. Marble sarcophagus with Scenes from the Lives of Saint Peter and Christ

Marcus Tullius Cicero (Roman statesman, scholar, and writer) -- Encyclopedia Britannica." Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/117565/Marcus-Tullius-Cicero (accessed May 14, 2013).
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The Early Christian sarcophagus has an interesting history, dating back to the time when Christianity was just being recognized as a legitimate faith. By the 4th Century in Rome, burial had become a much more popular alternative for the dead than cremation. This particular sarcophagus is made of marble, which was very expensive at the time, showing that this sarcophagus was most likely built for a rich person or aristocrat. The traceable history of the sarcophagus begins in the early twentieth century, when it was a garden ornament in Italy, then was recorded as lost. A man named Garucci identified it, and it was published in Christian iconography studies.2 It appears that the sarcophagus was brought to the house of Walter Jennings (called Burrwood) in Cold Spring Harbor, NY at around 1909, where it was once again used as a garden ornament. Josef and Marsy Mittlemann donated it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1991, and the sarcophagus remains there today. Burrwood Court, the estate where the sarcophagus was previously used as a garden ornament

2 Evans, Helen. "JSTOR: An Early Christian Sarcophagus from Rome Lost and Found." JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1512920 (accessed May 14, 2013).

One interesting feature of the sarcophaguss history is the fact that it was restored incorrectly. The restorations took place when the sarcophagus was sent to Burrwood, as there was a large part of the front of the sarcophagus that was broken off. There was a set of small feet left in the sarcophagus, which the restorer used to carve a frightened child turning to an adult. Originally, the small feet were used to show the man born blind, with Jesus curing his vision. While somewhat tedious, the early history of the sarcophagus is important to show its religious connection. The Early Christian sarcophagus is very important because it relates to the eternal truth of The small child connecting to the dead, and how humans use religious

stories, and icons to link with the dead. The images on the sarcophagus represent six stories: two from the life of Saint Peter, and four from the life of Jesus Christ. The stories from the life of Saint Peter show him getting arrested, and him drawing water as his attendants look in awe. The (original) stories from Jesuss life are: His entry into Jerusalem, Jesus curing the man born blind, Jesus multiplying the loaves,

and the famous raising of Lazarus.3 The image of the arrest of Saint Peter is significant because it serves as a reminder to those who were persecuted because of their commitment to Christianity, which is especially important because the sarcophagus was made right as the persecution of Christians was ending. The raising of Lazarus (who was loved by all) is significant, because it acts as a symbol that those who are great in life and make others lives better have another eternal Arrest of St. Peter

and peaceful life left. All of the other images are of miracles performed either by St. Peter, or by Jesus, which are significant in more ways than one. Firstly, the religious motifs reflect on the person inside the sarcophagus by showing they were religious, connecting them with all other Christians. Secondly, the images reflect a love of classical culture and served to elevate the status of the deceased.4 Finally, the motifs are used as a mirror to the deceased, to reflect the greatness of St. Peter and Jesus Christ upon them. The significance of the iconography and stories told by the 3 "The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Sarcophagus with Scenes from the Lives of Saint Peter and Christ." The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Home. http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/170006134 (accessed May 8, 2013). 4 "Roman Sarcophagi | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Home. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rsar/hd_rsar.htm (accessed May 13, 2013).

sarcophagus are important because they reflect a sense of religion, high status, and greatness of the deceased, which gives a good external representation for people who see the sarcophagus. Death is a common theme in Christianity, and this is nowhere is this more evident than in the last rites and rituals for the dead. Although they vary by sect, Christians have very specific sets of prayers and rituals for those who are about to die or are dead. During a priests visit to a dying persons house, the priest often says, after the sick confess his/her sins, May almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your sins, and lead you to everlasting life.5 This connects to the eternal truth because it shows how Christians often look to God for eternal protection and life, and this motif is used commonly especially near death. There are many other rituals that relate to the theme of connecting to the dead through religion, one example is the ritual of anointing, or smearing oil on a body part. The priest anoints the sick person on the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, and (sometimes) feet. The smearing of holy oil on the sensory organs is symbolic for forgiving all evil you have done with your senses, and forgiveness is important because Christians also look for forgiveness from each other. The rites and rituals performed before death are symbolic for the death and an eternal afterlife, and allow the dying person to connect to his/her religious community, Others may say that the iconography on the sarcophagus is not related to the person in the sarcophagus, was very common and typical of the time and style, and "Sancta Missa - Rituale Romanum (Roman Ritual) - Rite for anointing of the sick." SanctaMissa.org. http://www.sanctamissa.org/en/resources/books-1962/ritualeromanum/33-the-sacrament-of-the-anointing-of-the-sick-rite.html (accessed May 13, 2013).
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therefore cannot be significant. While it is true that similar designs exist, and were used on sarcophagi such as Lateran 161, there are some differences, such as the presence of more Christological scenes in 161. 6 Also, those with different viewpoints would point out that we have no idea who was buried in this sarcophagus, and as far as we know, the images could have no specific significance to the person buried inside. While this is true, one cannot say that there is no significance to the person buried inside, because the images reflect both a taste for classical styling, and show that the person is a reflection of the greatness of Jesus Christ and St. Peter. The Early Christian sarcophagus embodies the eternal truth that humans seek connection to the dead, and is related to the wish for an everlasting afterlife, elevated the status of the dead, and connected the secular world to the religious world of the deceased. Humans seek connection to the dead for reasons that vary person to person: loneliness, feeling a need for guidance, or a sense of bad fortune. The eternal truth of humans seeking connection to the dead is relevant to every single person on Earth, because death affects everyone.

Evans, Helen. "JSTOR: An Early Christian Sarcophagus from Rome Lost and Found." JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1512920 (accessed May 14, 2013).
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