Ben Russell
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199656394
- eISBN:
- 9780191765193
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656394.003.0007
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Archaeology: Classical, European History: BCE to 500CE
The production of sarcophagi has received a lot of attention in scholarship. Enormous quantities of these objects were carved and traded long distances in the Roman Empire. This chapter provides a ...
More
The production of sarcophagi has received a lot of attention in scholarship. Enormous quantities of these objects were carved and traded long distances in the Roman Empire. This chapter provides a detailed overview of how this production was organized, focusing both on those major marble quarries that became recognized centres for the supply of raw materials and those smaller production centres all around the Roman world who supplied local markets with sarcophagi. As in the previous chapter, the work that went into producing sarcophagi is followed from quarry through to the final customer. Although sarcophagi often ended up being produced in a narrow range of standardized forms, the impact of consumer demand on this phenomenon should not be underplayed. Production-to-stock, while perhaps a reality in certain circumstances, was neither widespread nor typical for sarcophagi.Less
The production of sarcophagi has received a lot of attention in scholarship. Enormous quantities of these objects were carved and traded long distances in the Roman Empire. This chapter provides a detailed overview of how this production was organized, focusing both on those major marble quarries that became recognized centres for the supply of raw materials and those smaller production centres all around the Roman world who supplied local markets with sarcophagi. As in the previous chapter, the work that went into producing sarcophagi is followed from quarry through to the final customer. Although sarcophagi often ended up being produced in a narrow range of standardized forms, the impact of consumer demand on this phenomenon should not be underplayed. Production-to-stock, while perhaps a reality in certain circumstances, was neither widespread nor typical for sarcophagi.
Ben Russell
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199656394
- eISBN:
- 9780191765193
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656394.003.0008
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Archaeology: Classical, European History: BCE to 500CE
This chapter follows on from the previous two to examine statue production. Beginning with a discussion of the buying process, the question of commissions versus stock products and how the customer ...
More
This chapter follows on from the previous two to examine statue production. Beginning with a discussion of the buying process, the question of commissions versus stock products and how the customer and carver might have interacted, evidence from the quarries for the roughing out of statues is then considered. There is no evidence that these finds from the quarries indicate production-to-stock of statues but they do show that carving was often broken down into stages of work which could be completed in different locations. Part-finished statues were certainly moved long distances, but there is also evidence to indicate that finishes one were too, as were the raw materials from their carving. Finally, the organization of carving in a sculpture workshop context and the evidence for division of labour in statue production are discussed.Less
This chapter follows on from the previous two to examine statue production. Beginning with a discussion of the buying process, the question of commissions versus stock products and how the customer and carver might have interacted, evidence from the quarries for the roughing out of statues is then considered. There is no evidence that these finds from the quarries indicate production-to-stock of statues but they do show that carving was often broken down into stages of work which could be completed in different locations. Part-finished statues were certainly moved long distances, but there is also evidence to indicate that finishes one were too, as were the raw materials from their carving. Finally, the organization of carving in a sculpture workshop context and the evidence for division of labour in statue production are discussed.
