Vol. 3 No. 13 (2025)
1st National Conference of Archaeology Students

Representation and object: A pyxis on the sarcophagus of Titus Aelius

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  • Virág Veronika Szántó
Virág Veronika Szántó
Department of Archaeology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17204/dissarch.2025.131

Published 2026-01-30

Keywords

  • pyxis,
  • Roman period,
  • representation,
  • identification

How to Cite

Szántó, V. V. (2026). Representation and object: A pyxis on the sarcophagus of Titus Aelius. Dissertationes Archaeologicae, 3(13), 131–146. https://doi.org/10.17204/dissarch.2025.131

Abstract

The sarcophagus of Titus Aelius was found in 1989 during an excavation conducted by Sándor Petényi at Alsógalla. It stands out amongst sarcophagi depicting married couples for its refined execution and good state of preservation. However, what makes it particularly interesting is the depiction of the woman, who is shown holding a small, round object in her hand. This object was originally described as a jewellery box, but its form more closely resembles that of a perfume box. Building on an assessment of this find, the study evaluates the possibilities for comparing representations with extant objects and presents the results.

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