Sarcophagus of Seianti

Seianti reclines on the lid, holding a mirror. Her clothes and jewellery receive close attention in the painted terracotta. The lid also carries her name, so this image is connected to a named person rather than an anonymous type. The sarcophagus is Etruscan and dates to about 250–150 BC. A sarcophagus is a container made for a burial. Its lid presents Seianti through dress, pose and personal objects. The mirror belongs to that carefully composed appearance, which you can follow from the face down through the folds of clothing. The Museum purchased the sarcophagus from Wolfgang Helbig. The associated skeletal remains have a separate history and record. Seeing the container does not mean that those remains are visible in the same display. Stay with the choices made for the lid. The reclining figure gives the burial container a recognisable human presence, while the inscription preserves the name Seianti beside it.