Basic info

Collection

Archaeology

Object name

Sarcophagus

Inscribed object

Object category

Roman

Description

Stone sarcophagus with lid. Described in Eboracum as "Coffin, of gritstone, 7ft 5ins by 2ft by 2fy 3ins, with a gabled lid 7 ft 5 ins by 10ins by 2ft 5ins. Lid and coffin had originally been clamped together, as is shown by the matching slots on the ends of each. It was found in 1835, in making the Castle Yard, at a depth of 7ft to 8ft... this depth, compared with the Roman level in adjancent excavations, indicates that the coffin was buried below Roman ground-level; thus the inscription would have been invisible and this in turn suggests secondary use... It contained a male skeleton. A second coffin, uninscribed, lay parallel and adjacent. Cut on the lid is D(IS) M(ANIBVS) in large letters: 'To the spirits of the departed'. The coffin lid is currently broken in two laterally and has been replaced onto the main sarcophagus backwards so that D(is) M(anibus) faces the back, rather than the front, of the piece. The main inscription is cut in smaller letters in a sunk panel on the face of the long side of the coffin. AVR(ELIO) SVPERO CENT(VRIONI) LEG(IONIS) VI QVI VIXIT AN(N)IS XXXVIIII M(ENSES) IIII D(IES) XIII AVRE LIA CENSORINA COIVNX MEMORIAM POSSVIT 'To Aurelius Super, centurion of the Sixth Legion, who lived 38 years, 4 months, 13 days, Aurelia Censorina his wife placed (this) memorial.' Solecisms are anis for annis, the metathetical coiunx for coniux and possuit for posuit...".

Production date start

71

Production date end

410

Period

Roman