LORENZO AND JACOPO DI COSMA. PULPIT OF THE GOSPEL, 1190-1210. S. MARIA IN ARACOELI In this church of conspicuous spolia, the two pulpits at the mouth of the transepts are notable examples of the genre. They were once probably united in a single pulpit with two platforms side by side in the predecessor to the Aracoeli on this site, S. Maria in Capitolio, but were later separated, which explains why we can see the rough interior of the pulpit. At left, a large white marble slab with an inscription set sideways forms the slope of the handrail. Within the curve of the pulpit itself, white marble uprights separate slabs of pavonazzetto to either side of a piece of porphyry below and a Romanesque marble relief of an eagle whose rough back we see at centre. This pulpit was used especially when the Holy Roman Emperor was present, hence the imperial purple stone and eagle.
#SpoliaSunday is every day at the #Aracoeli in #Rome. This mighty basilica took its form c. 1268 when it was given its long nave by its new #Franciscan tenants. Here is the interior of the #pulpit of the #Gospel, from c. 1200, full of #spolia including a reused #inscription. #AncientBluesky 🏺
