Carvers and Customers in Roman Palmyra
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Book Series
Studies in Palmyrene Archaeology and History, vol. 13
Nurturing the Elite
Representations of Drinking, Eating, and Religious Vessels in Palmyrene Funerary Iconography
Olympia Bobou, Ilaria Bucci, Rubina Raja
- Pages: approx. 539 p.
- Size:216 x 280 mm
- Illustrations:190 b/w, 25 col., 33 tables b/w.
- Language(s):English
- Publication Year:2026
- € 190,00 EXCL. VAT RETAIL PRICE
- ISBN: 978-2-503-61780-0
- Hardback
- Forthcoming (Feb/26)
- € 190,00 EXCL. VAT RETAIL PRICE
- ISBN: 978-2-503-61781-7
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- Forthcoming
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This volume delves into the significance of vessels in Palmyrene funerary sculpture, offering a fresh perspective on these attributes as powerful symbols reflecting the aspirations and values of those commemorated.
Subject(s)
BIO
Olympia Bobou is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet), Aarhus University.
Ilaria Bucci is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet), Aarhus University.
Rubina Raja is Professor of Classical Archaeology and Art and Centre Director of the Danish National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence, Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet) at Aarhus University.
Summary
Vessels as attributes were prominently depicted across all types of funerary monuments in Palmyra but have rarely been the subject of focused study. Yet with over 400 documented examples, vessels in fact hold a central place in shaping the iconography of Palmyrene portraits and offer unique insights into the aspirations, identities, and status of the individuals commemorated. This monograph investigates the role of vessels in Palmyrene funerary sculpture, exploring often neglected aspects of local portraiture. Through this approach, it seeks to place the study of vessels at the heart of ongoing critical discourse into Palmyrene society, its values, and its rituals, as well as exploring the city’s broader connections within cultural and economic networks in the Roman Near East and further afield. This research has been made possible thanks to the extensive data collection of the Palmyra Portrait Project (Aarhus University), which, since 2012, has compiled a comprehensive catalogue of Palmyrene sculptural production from the first three centuries AD.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Illustrations
Plates
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Introduction
Research Framework and Methodology
Structure of the Book
Chapter 1. Vessels in the Portrait Habit of Palmyra
The Local Portrait Habit
Results of the Palmyra Portrait Project in the Broader Scholarly Context
Vessels in the Funerary Sphere: An Introduction to the Monuments
Chapter 2. Local Trends in Funerary Sculpture
General Remarks on Vessels in Palmyrene Sculpture
Vessels Associated with Banqueting
Vessels Associated with Religious Activities
Food Vessels and Utensils Associated with Female Figures v394–v403 (10), v404–v406 (3)
Local Trends in Vessel Representations
Appendix: Vessel Typology
Chapter 3. Eating, Drinking, Offering in Palmyra: Vessels as Reflections of Wider Cultural Networks
The Local Archaeological Context: Evidence for the Production and Import of Vessels in Palmyra
Depictions of Vessels in a Regional and Supra-Regional Perspective
Symbolism and Significance: Vessels as Reflections of Broader Networks
Conclusions. Powerful Attributes: The Role of Vessels in Palmyrene Funerary Sculpture
Catalogue
Appendix 1: Wall paintings
Appendix 2: Religious sculpture
Works Cited
