photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Aphrodisias - classical city in Turkey >> The Aphrodisias Museum > Aphrodisias Museum March 2011 4687.jpg
previous | next
16-MAR-2011

Aphrodisias Museum March 2011 4687.jpg

view map

I quote from the excavations site: "Columnar Sarcophagus with Erotes as seasons

The sarcophagus is a virtuoso work, richly decorated with four Eros figures springing from deeply undercut acanthus plants. The columns have composite capitals and spiral fluting, and each bay contains an Eros and an acanthus calyx. Eros A represents Autumn. He wears a chlamys around his neck, a fillet with two clusters of ivy leaves above the brow in his hair and holds a staff in his right hand and a basket of grapes in his left. Eros B represents Winter. He wears a veil adorned with river reeds and carries fruit (figs and pomegranates) in his drapery. Eros C represents Spring. He wears a chlamys and fillet with clusters of ivy, and his left hand supports drapery containing assorted fruits (pomegranates, grapes). Eros D represents Summer. He wears a goatskin on his right shoulder and across his chest and has wheat in his hair; he holds a pruning knife in his right hand. On the partially preserved lid is a reclining Ganymede acroterion. The execution of the sarcophagus is of outstanding quality. Seasons sarcophagi are otherwise unknown at Aphrodisias. The topic becomes popular elsewhere in the Roman Empire in the third century. "

Nikon D3
1/50s f/5.0 at 36.0mm iso2000 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
comment | share