Roman funerary urn from the I-III centuries AD.

Roman funerary urn from the I-III centuries AD.
Ceramic.
Restored.
Attached export permit.
Measurements: 40 x 28 cm.

This Roman funerary urn may have been part of a funerary trousseau. It is a piece made entirely of ceramic, with a circular base, globular belly and molded neck. It has the original lid.

Between the first and third centuries A.D., Roman funerary urns were mainly used to preserve the ashes of the deceased after cremation, a predominant funerary practice in the Roman Empire. After cremation, the ashes were placed in ceramic, glass, stone or marble urns, which were placed in tombs, mausoleums or columbaria, especially in cities such as Rome.

These urns not only served a practical function, but also a symbolic and social one, as they reflected family status and kept the memory of the deceased alive. Many included inscriptions and decorations inspired by mythology and beliefs about the afterlife.

During the 2nd century A.D., funerary art reached great development, with increasingly elaborate urns. However, from the 3rd century AD, cremation was progressively replaced by burial due to religious and cultural changes, which led to the decline in the use of funerary urns and the rise of sarcophagi.