Object type
altars
Fabric
stone, construction and architectural material of the Roman period
Culture/period
Rome
Materials
mortar
Technique
fresco painting
Mint
Production date
-25 / 100
Seu
Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Empúries
Current location
Exposició permanent
Archaeological site
Empúries. Ciutat Romana
Township
Escala, l' (Alt Empordà)
Dimensions
980 x 890 x 865 mm
Description
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Painted domestic altar, found in the excavation of Roman house number 2B in Empúries in 1956. The support of the altar, which remains in situ, was made of masonry, covered with lime and painted. The painting was removed and placed on a new support in order to be exhibited in the museum room.
The altar is made up of a cubic central body supported by two stepped plinths, 10 cm thick. This body supports an upper part, crowned by a plan with two semi-circular projections, which simulates a roof of two imbrex on a roofing plate.
This monument was entirely clad. On the four sides of the central body were the main motifs: on the front face a cockerel, dark red in colour, with the crest, neck, wing and tail in lighter tones, with yellow and orange touches. The side faces are painted with the coiled bodies of two snakes, which converge on the other side, where there is a metallic kantharos in the centre. A pine cone protrudes from inside the kantharos, near which the two snake heads are located, creating a symmetrical effect. The ecru-coloured background is completed at the top by green garlands with red fruits and in the lower corners by vegetal motifs.
This altar was intended for domestic worship and, with the offerings made during the festivities, the reproductive aspect of life and multiplication, expressed with the pine cone, was promoted. The cockerel is related to Mercury.
Image
3D Model
© Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Empúries
Omeka ID
122