Sarcophagus panel depicting a matrimonal ceremony at The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

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Made for a noble Roman's burial, this sarcophagus tells the story of his wedding day. Such tombs are called biographical, even though they were actually meant to showcase the most important Roman values - devotion, military bravery, and harmonious marriage. On the front wall of the tomb, standing on either side of an altar, are the bride and groom, with the latter's face clearly a portrait. The newlyweds are being united by Harmony herself. Valour, a winged female figure holding a palm branch, crowns the groom. By the bride stands Venus, goddess of love and beauty, accompanied by her son Cupid, a winged boy carrying a quiver. Hymen, god of marriage, holding a torch, completes the group of heavenly figures. Surrounding them are relatives and friends of the newlyweds. On the lid of the tomb are the three Parcae, goddesses of destiny, as well as Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, the three main Roman deities. The entire group is flanked by the god of the Sun on one side and the goddess of the Moon on the other. In this way people, gods, and the universe become witnesses to the impeccable life of this Roman citizen. The relief's idealized treatment of faces reflects Greek art, but its focus on portraiture, lack of a free background surface, and love of details are all hallmarks of the Roman artistic tradition. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit project created by MyMiniFactory to build a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for everyone to access for free. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, so if you have interesting items nearby and want to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned using Photogrammetry (Processed with Agisoft PhotoScan)