The Sarcophagus with the Legend of Achilles - Assignment Example

The Sarcophagus with the Legend of Achilles Sarcophagus – a casket for the dead Sarcophagus (Greek sarx, “flesh,” and phagein, “to eat”) in literal terms possibly means a coffin that eats up the body and according to Pliny it denotes a coffin made of sandstone procured from Troad, the region around Troy, that ensured the body gets dissolved as quickly as possible. However, this definition of sarcophagus is rather tenuous, especially the concept that a coffin ‘eats’ up the body. In any case, the term came into general use after Roman emperors commissioned large coffins for themselves and their loved ones and sarcophagus is now an archaeological term that is used to denote ornate and well sculpted coffins used by Egyptians, Greek and Roman rulers and wealthy noblemen of their courts. Sometimes, the inner coffins that were made of wood or metal were encased in outer sarcophagi made of stone. The sculptures made of stone not only highlighted the robustness of the contemporary society which thrived on the valor and physical power of the ruling class but also immortalized in vivid detail the glory of conquests over arch rivals and enemies and how the person lying inside the coffin dominated all those that were lowly and inferior in power and physical prowess. The dead person was portrayed in a larger than life imagery that more often than not bordered on eulogy and at times plain flattery1. If the historical accuracy is temporarily set aside, one has to marvel at the intricacy of the carvings that are there in almost each and every sarcophagus that were built during Egyptian, Greek and Roman eras. Though some sarcophagi were made of stone, those that encased the bodies of Egyptian emperors were made of precious metals and the sarcophagus of Tutankhamen was made of solid gold while that of Psussenes I was made of silver. The use of precious metal, especially gold was done to underline the exclusivity and an almost stellar superiority of the Egyptian emperor and place him in a stratum that no other lowly mortal could ever imagine to inhabit. Sarcophagus as a form of memorial art The innate desire for human beings to beat death and attain immortality was most probably served by sarcophagi that intended to immortalize the myth and saga of rulers and all those that inhabited the higher echelons of society by carving anecdotes, incidents, victories and conquests of their lives in marble and gold for posterity to see, admire and often remain awe struck by the craftsmanship and sheer artistry of those creations. To a modern viewer, quite often the conquests and triumphs engraved on sarcophagi pale into insignificance over the creative capabilities of the craftsmen who actually spent hours and days chiseling the figurines and other details into perfection. Though these sculptors have never ever been mentioned in the footnotes of history they are the ones that have achieved immortality as even after centuries have elapsed people still do not stop marveling at the levels of finesse and perfection they had achieved with tools and implements that were rudimentary according to modern standards2. Thus it is surely an irony of sorts that those that had toiled maybe as slaves under the supervision of barbaric soldiers and never hoped for anything better or more than barely livable conditions have made their mark on the history of mankind and have left behind artifacts that helped later day historians to mark the eras, epochs and watersheds of human civilization3. Evolution of sarcophagus over the ages With the rise and fall of empires and civilizations over centuries, sarcophagus also evolved as it reflected the tastes and preferences of contemporary culture. Starting from those elaborately carved stone or precious metal Egyptian sarcophagi one finds subtle changes in Greek sarcophagi that depicted anecdotes rather than vignettes found in Egyptian varieties. Some of the Greek sarcophagi were decorated with intricate paintings and terracotta work and often resembled huge bathtubs with handles. The Phoenicians were fascinated by white marble and most sarcophagi of this regime were made of pure white marble glistening in their pristine grandeur. However, the Etruscans were not that much enamored by the mystique of white marble and were interested in a combination of stone and terracotta to decorate the coffins in which the leaders of their society lay in their final rest. As the Roman Empire gained in stature and dimension, the design of sarcophagi also underwent a change since the Emperors and noblemen favored intricately sculpted coffins that almost invariably carried a figure of the deceased often in a reclining and relaxed posture. With the advent of Christianity and Islam the designs of sarcophagi alternated from being extremely somber and simple without any carvings at all to some of the most ornate carvings that depicted floral or geometric designs rather than personal exploits of the person lying inside it4. Thus, sarcophagi gradually became mere beautiful works of art and sculpture rather than testimonies of contemporary history. They became more of decorative pieces than having any historical significance, other than, of course, having been carved or sculpted in a particular period in history5. The Sarcophagus with the legend of Achilles This is a brilliantly carved marble sarcophagus that was originally found in Tyre and is at present located at The National Museum of Beirut6. One lateral side depicts Achilles sitting grief stricken beside the dead body of his dearest friend Patroclus while one long side shows Priam kneeling before Achilles begging him to return the body of Hector which is attached to a chariot. These are two specific incidents that happened during Trojan War and need a quick recount to appreciate the full impact of the sculpture. Achilles had been the undisputed hero of Greek war against Troy. He met his love in Briseis whom he took as a slave when he conquered Lyrnessus. Though his concubine, Achilles became emotionally attached to Briseis and when the leader of Greek forces in the Trojan War, Agamemnon took her away from him to compensate the loss of his own female slave Chryseis, Achilles became so furious about it that he withdrew from the warfront and retired in his tent. The withdrawal of Achilles severely weakened the Greeks who were driven away to their ships and some of the ships were set on fire by the advancing Trojans. Even though Agamemnon relented and sent Ulysses, Phoenix and Ajax to Achilles with the offer of returning Briseis and a lot of other gifts, Achilles still refused to join the war and the position of Greeks continued to worsen. Dismayed at the battered condition of the Greeks, Patroclus, the closest friend of Achilles borrowed his armor as suggested by another Greek leader Nestor and led the Greeks once again in battle against the Trojans. The sight of Achilles’ special armor immediately struck fear in the minds of Trojans and Greeks started gaining ground little by little. Though strictly advised by Achilles not to face the greatest Trojan warrior Prince Hector, Patroclus finally came face to face with Hector who initially mistook him as Achilles and fought with unmitigated ferocity till Patroclus was killed. This came as a shock to Achilles. He accepted Agamemnon’s offer and started fighting for the Greeks once again as he was determined to avenge his friend’s demise. The lateral side of the sarcophagus that shows Achilles in deep grief as he sits beside the body of his slain friend also includes a female figure which is possibly that of Briseis as Agamemnon had already returned her to Achilles by then7. An angry Achilles returned to the battlefield and hunted down Hector finally slaying him in a one-on-one combat. Not being satisfied at killing Hector, he tied his body to his chariot and dragged it all the way to his camp. Though it sounded valiant in those days, it surely would have put to shame any modern army to even think of such a desecration and violation of human dignity. Priam, the King of Troy and father of Prince Hector, anguished at the insult of the dead body of his son, came secretly in the night and begged Achilles to release Hector’s dead body. The sculpture on one long side of the sarcophagus that depicts this heart rending scene is as vivid as it is poignant in simultaneously conveying the helplessness and angst of a father who has just lost his son and the insensible cruelty of the winner in the battle. Though Achilles has been lauded for centuries for his valor and courage, this single act of mindless revenge surely sullied his reputation as a brave man8. The other lateral side depicts the execution of a Trojan prisoner in the presence of Achilles and the cruelty of war has perhaps never been brought out so sharply by any other contemporary sculpture. The utter surrender and total helplessness of the prisoner as contrasted with the chilling indifference as accentuated by the casual reclining posture of Achilles sends a shiver down the spine of a modern viewer as the whole scene severely jolts all modern sensibilities and ethics of human interaction. The remaining long side depicts two lions roaring and prepared to get at each other’s throats over a crater and quite adroitly conveys the ferocity and violence that was unleashed by both the warring parties during the Trojan War. Bibliography 1. Rostovtzeff, Mikhail. A History of the Ancient World: Rome. Vol. II. Biblo & Tannen Publishers, 1927. 2. Honour, Hugh, and John Fleming. A world history of art. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2005. 3. Elliott, Huger. Memorial Art. Kessinger Publishing, 2003. 4. Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. 13th ed. Vol. I. USA: Cengage Learning, 2009. 5. Robins, George Livingston. Sarcophagus of an Ancient Civilization: Kessinger Publishing,, 2003. 6. Berytus. Archeological Studies. Museum of Archeology of the American University of Beirut, 1997. 7. Kostof, Spiro. A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals. Oxford University Press, 1985. 8. Eiselen, Frederick Carl. Sidon: A Study in Oriental History. 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