A lead coffin from the Roman period at Horbat Ohad, Kibbutz Bet Guvrin(with a contribution by Natalya Katsnelson)

Daniel Varga, Rina Talgam

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

In a tomb hewn into soft limestone (qirton) at Horbat Ohad, a lead coffin and its lid were uncovered. Within the coffin were the bones of a female, aged 17-20 years and an intact candlestick-type glass bottle. The coffin is decorated with mythological scenes-a winged Eros hunting a lion, and drunken Heracles holding a drinking vessel while riding a carriage driven by two centaurs-as well as geometric and floral motifs. Similar lead coffins are frequently found along the Israeli and Phoenician coast, and are known also from inland sites. The decorative motifs on the coffin, as well as the glass bottle, point to a date in the third century CE.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAtiqot
Pages11-18+134
Edition1
StatePublished - Mar 2013

Publication series

NameAtiqot
Number1
Volume73
ISSN (Print)0792-8424

Keywords

  • Anthropology
  • Art
  • Burial
  • Cult
  • Funerary goods
  • Mythology
  • Pagan

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