First, take a minute or two to look closely at the images above. Write down your reaction to this object (both images show the same object, just in different lighting so that you can see the details)--what details do you notice? Why did you pick this object for your response paper? Make notes on things that you notice about it. Also, write down any questions you have about it--what kinds of things would you want to know about this object? Remember the questions we ask in class. You don't need to have answers for these questions yet, but keep them in your notes.

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Once you have some questions written down, try to answer them by reading the information I've provided below about this object and its context.

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What do we know about this object and its findspot?​

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This sarcophagus was found in the Catacomb of Praetextatus. Praetextatus is not a saint; instead, he may have been one of the original owners of the cemetery. The burial ground was originally an above-ground cemetery for pagan upper-class Romans outside the city walls along the Via Appia, dating to the 2nd-3rd centuries CE. Later in the 3rd century, an old stone water cistern or conduit underground was repurposed as the first of the catacombs, for Christian use. Gradually the catacombs expanded and acquired some saints' shrines which became sites of pilgrimage in the 7th century CE and later. 

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I don't have any exact information about how big this is, but consider that sarcophagi are generally used to bury a person's body, so it's probably about 5-6 feet long.

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It's interesting that funerary contexts are the most common place we find early Christian art. More than decorative niceties, these relief carvings on the fronts of sarcophagi were articulations of Christian theology—a visual expression of what these believers thought about death. Along with wall paintings in the catacombs, they served as confessions of faith and symbols of hope for the community after one of its own died. The carvings would have been visible to catacomb visitors passing by this sarcophagus niche.

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Some things to consider in your response paper:​

• What was your response to this object? What drew your eye? You are encouraged to use first person (I/me) in your response paper. I want to know what you think.

• Compare to the images we looked at in class--especially the Good Shepherd and scenes of wine-making.

• Consider the details of this object carefully. What kinds of decisions did the artist make when they were creating this piece, and why do you think they made these choices? Use your art terminology. How are the different figures arranged, and how did the artist try to draw your eye to certain focal points?

• Think also about the context of these images, in a place of burial. Why juxtapose the Good Shepherd imagery and the imagery of wine-making? What kind of meaning did this imagery have for early Christians, and how is this meaning connected to death and the Christian afterlife? Why were images like these so popular with early Christians?