A Mythological Sarcophagus from Tripolis, Asia Minor, and Its Implications for Practices of Sarcophagus Workshops

A new arcaded columnar sarcophagus was discovered in 2015 at the ancient site of Tripolis ad Maeandrum in Lydia, modern Turkey. The sarcophagus represents mythological and heroic figures in the intercolumniations on the front, left, and right short sides of the chest. Both the context and style of the sarcophagus suggest that it is dated to the late 2nd – early 3rd century A.D. The new sarcophagus is worthy of close scrutiny because its specific selection and employment of mythological figures is unparalleled among imperial Roman sarcophagi. Moreover, the arcaded architectural format of the sarcophagus is very similar to the columnar sarcophagi produced at Aphrodisias, which, previous to this find, had been thought to produce mainly for local demand in Asia Minor. These peculiarities suggest that the sarcophagus was specially commissioned by a wealthy local person, probably from sculptors linked with the Aphrodisias workshop. Therefore, this unique discovery illuminates previously unknown practices of sarcophagus workshops and posits the existence of traveling sculptors in Asia Minor.