This Roman sarcophagus is one of the earliest in the Museum’s collection. It belongs to the class of garland sarcophagi—rectangular in shape and decorated with swags of seasonal grain or fruit. On the front and sides, eight winged erotis bear garlands of flowers, wheat, grapes, pomegranates, and laurel. Notice how the motif lends itself well to the long front panel. The back of this sarcophagus was left in the rough since it would have faced a wall in the tomb.

Above the garland are three episodes from the myth of Theseus, the Athenian hero, and Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete. At the left, Ariadne is giving Theseus a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth, an elaborate maze in ancient Crete. In the center, Theseus slays the Minotaur, a vicious creature who lives in the labyrinth. You’ll notice he has the body of a man and head of a bull. The third scene at the right shows Theseus with the sleeping Ariadne. He abandons her on the island of Naxos where she will awaken to a new and happy life with her future husband, the god Dionysos.

The lid is carved in a delicate low relief. Here, winged erotis drive chariots drawn by animals associated with the four seasons. How appropriate this imagery is for a sarcophagus! It illustrates birth, death, and rebirth in the cycle of seasons.

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