RELIEF PANEL WITH CANDELABRA, GARLAND, AND URCEUS, C. 125 CE. PANTHEON In 1874, during important restorations to the area of the Pantheon's porch, this marble panel and another, very similar, were discovered face-down, being used as steps. They are part of a group of eight such panels, some still in place, that decorated the central pronaos of the porch: that is, the walls on either side of the front door. The decoration of a garland of fruit hanging between two candelabra is solemn but delicate, and the jug or urceus is a symbol of religious ritual appropriate for a religious building.

#SpoliaSunday takes us to the #Pantheon in #Rome, where in a new display in the rooms of the #BasilicaofNeptune we find two #Hadrianic relief panels which were once part of the decoration of the #porch. They were found face down in front of the building, reused as steps. #AncientBluesky 🏺

SARCOPHAGUS FRONT, C. 250 CE. PANTHEON. The Pantheon was so heavily restored in the late C19 that it is hard to imagine what it looked like before it was "returned to its original state". Indeed, it gratifies us with its apparent antiquity. But it was not always thus. Sometimes pieces were cut from the floor for use elsewhere, and replaced with what could be found. In this case, a sarcophagus front was cut down to size and turned face down to serve as a paver or indeed a floor tomb. Before these medieval or later insertions were removed, the Pantheon's stone pavement looked much different to its current appearance. They mostly replaced the pavonazzetto frames of the pattern of circles and squares. Floor tombs also infiltrated the side chapels. Here we see a couple in the clipeus at centre, but both figures are of unspecific sex and to my eye both look female. The figure at left is in profile with one arm thrown over the shoulders of the other figure. The latter holds a scroll.

#SarcophagusSaturday at the #Pantheon. In the rooms behind the #BasilicaofNeptune a lapidarium was arranged after the buildings clustering around the Pantheon were demolished. One piece, which had been used as a paver, turned out to be part of a #sarcophagus from c. 250 CE. #AncientBluesky 🏺

FRAGMENT OF FRIEZE, C. 120 CE. BASILICA OF NEPTUNE This piece of Luni marble was found following demolitions for the isolation of the Pantheon from the later buildings attached to it, in the late C19. It's part of the long frieze going around the huge hall called the Basilica of Neptune, initially built by Agrippa and subsequently rebuilt by Hadrian, retaining the same marine imagery. A drawing around the fragment indicates the missing elements. Pairs of evil Roman dolphins seem to be discussing attack plans, with their heads downward and tails up. A sort of palmette separates them. A trident stands atop a shell which divides this dolphin from a mirrored version of itself on the other side. These marine elements refer to the triumph of Augustus at the sea battle of Actium. Above, we have an excellent series of Roman decorative frames: first, a Lesbian kymation, then dentils, then a row of beads, and at top an egg and dart motif.

#ReliefWednesday reintroduces us to those toothy charmers, evil #Roman #dolphins, on the #frieze of the #BasilicaofNeptune at the back of the #Pantheon in #Rome. These marine elements, including shells and tridents, allude to the victory of #Augustus at the sea battle of #Actium. #AncientBluesky 🏺