| Date | late 3rd century B.C. |
|---|---|
| Object type | sculpture |
| Medium, technique | carved, alabaster |
| Dimensions | 73.6 × 70 × 35 cm; height of the urn box: 38.3 cm |
| Inventory number | 50.1324.1-2 |
| Collection | Classical Antiquities |
| On view | Museum of Fine Arts, Basement Floor, Classical Antiquity, Eros – Dionysos – Thanatos |
Volterra (Etruscan Velathri, Latin Volaterrae) was a major sculptural centre in the 3rd century BC. The alabaster quarried nearby was used to create masterfully carved urns, often decorated in relief with a lid representing the deceased as a banqueter.
The sole ornament on this urn is the female figure reclining on two pillows on a kline (couch) – the only element suggesting a banquet scene. The mask-like face of the woman, her stout proportions, and the clumsy treatment imply that the piece was carved by a stone-cutter of modest skills, working perhaps outside the artistic centre.
Material analyses have shown that the urn was made of Tuscan gypsum.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.
