Sarcophagus of Santa Costanza

In ancient times, a significant aspect of the death and burial of an important person was the sarcophagus in which his/her body was placed. Sarcophagi were often made of marble or some other type of stone and were usually decorated with carvings. This is true of the sarcophagus of Santa Costanza, which was originally placed in the Mausoleum of Santa Costanza on Via Nomentana in Rome, and now resides in the Vatican Museums. A copy still sits in the mausoleum. 

Sarcophagus of Santa Costanza

Before her canonization, Santa Costanza was known as Constantina (or Constantia), named after her father, the Emperor Constantine. Constantina was the eldest daughter of the emperor and was born sometime between 307 and 317 A.D. She lived until 354 when she died of a fever in modern day Turkey. Her body was brought back to Rome and placed in the large, ornate sarcophagus that can still be viewed in the museum.

Standing 4 feet high, 5 feet wide, and almost 8 feet long, the Santa Costanza sarcophagus is certainly an impressive size. It is made of purple-colored marble called porphyry, which was only used for burying royalty (due to its color) and was only quarried from Coptos, Egypt. It is decorated with complex symbolic relief designs. These include natural images such as grape vines, peacocks, sheep, and doves. There are also cherubs (or putti) framed in acanthus scrolls beneath several masks. The lid has 4 portraits on it, one of them being Constantina herself. 

Cherub with grapes

Cherubs making wine

Sheep

The peacocks represent immortality, but most of the symbols do not have a definite meaning. The grape vines, sheep, and doves are common Christian symbols, but images of cherubs harvesting grapes and making wine were also pagan at that time. Constantine was the first emperor to legalize and accept Christianity, but he continued to worship pagan gods as well. Therefore, it is hard to say whether the symbols are supposed to have Christian or pagan meanings. However, Constantina was canonized, possibly because she chose to be baptized a Christian at a younger age--before her father did so, though she did not necessarily lead a Christian life. The images  probably reflect a transition period from pagan themes toward Christianity. Whatever the meanings behind the symbols, the sarcophagus still reflects ancient Roman traditions concerning the deceased.

• "Ancient Roman Sarcophagi."Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Oct. 2014. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Roman_sarcophagi&gt.
• "Woman of Ambiguity: The Augusta Constantia (c. 312-354 C.E.)." Ancient Worlds: The Hellenic World. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/1183771&gt.
• "The Mausoleum of Santa Costanza: Ancient Mosaics and a Round Church. 'Revealed Rome’ Web. 23 Nov. 2014. http://www.revealedrome.com/2011/09/basilica-of-santa-costanza-church-in-rome.html&gt.