Sarcophagus of Archbishop Theodorus

Archbishop Theodorus of Ravenna

Early-Byzantine sarcophagus re-used at the end of the 7th c. AD to deposit the body of Theodorus, Archbishop of Ravenna. It features a vaulted lid bearing apocalyptic crosses and a Christogram surrounded by wreaths. The front of the casket is decorated in the middle with a Christogram on clipeus. The sides depict a symmetric composition of peacocks, vine scrolls and doves at the bottom. The sides of the lid and the casket feature a similar pattern, with a cross at the centre, surrounded by blooming scrolls, doves and rosettes. The lid along the front margin bears a Latin inscription, remembering the deceased.

lat

5th c. AD

7th c. AD

University of Bologna

ondazione Federico Zeri - Fototeca Zeri, Università di Bologna, inv. 2894