Etrucan Cinerary Urn Lid
Alabaster
220-180 BCE
SMB
Details
Culture/Civilisation
Etruscan
Theme
Ancient Societies
Subtheme
Death in Ancient Greece and Rome - Timeless practices
Case Title
Funerary Rituals
Display Location
Coomaraswamy Hall
Findspot
Chiusi, Italy
Measurements
73 x 40 x 31 cm
Accession Number
SK 1284
Description
On the lids of Etruscan funerary urns, the deceased recline at an eternal banquet. Here, the relief recounts the death of Myrtilus, a divine hero — evidence of cultural as much as religious aspiration. Ash-chests like this were produced in large numbers and put in underground family tombs that mimicked the homes of the living.





