Tomb of the arches

Panel 14 - Location

Built in the early 1st century AD, this tomb initially took the form of a funerary precinct in opus reticulatum. The north façade is particularly finely made, with architectural features in brick surmounted by arches: the lunettes are decorated with multi-coloured inlays in yellow and red brick, alternating with pieces of tufa and pumice stone.

Panel 14 - Figure 2Façade of the tomb on Via dei Sepolcri
(O. Visca)
Panel 14 - Figure 4Drawing of the mosaic found in the tomb during the 1857 excavations
(C.L. Visconti)

In the second half of the 1st century AD, the tomb was turned into a columbarium with niches for the cinerary urns along the walls. Starting from the 2nd century AD, larger niches were added for inhumation burials (arcosolia). During this final phase, a further two rooms connecting the tomb with Via dei Sepolcri were built, on a higher level than the original structure.

Panel 14 - Figure 1Detail of the little central arch Panel 14 - Figure 3Detail of brick, pumice and tufa decorations from the Via Ostiensis necropolis
(I. Gismondi)

See also:

The Via Ostiensis Necropolis