Late Antiquity Collection


In the turbulent 4th and 5th centuries, when the Roman Empire was rocked by crises, the situation on the coastal belt of Dalmatia was calm, and Salona, as the provincial capital, experienced the peak of its development. Migrants from different parts of the Empire in search of a better life settled in Dalmatia, especially during the 3rd and 4th centuries, and Salona, far from the Empire’s outer borders at an advantageous geographical location facing the Mediterranean, grew into a major economic and social hub.

The Archaeological Museum’s Late Antiquity Collection encompasses different categories of objects that illustrate the various aspects of life in Dalmatia during that period. Most of its exponents are from Salona and its environs, followed by Split, while a smaller number of finds came from sites in Salona’s hinterland and on the Dalmatian islands. They primarily date from the beginning of the 4th century to the mid-6th century at the latest and they serve as a source of knowledge about the architecture, art, religion, military and daily lives of that era’s people.

Numerous stone monuments, mainly architectural fragments, gravestones and sarcophaguses are exhibited in the Museum’s lapidarium. The Good Shepherd Sarcophagus, dated to the beginning of the 4th century and featuring an allegorical depiction of Jesus Christ in its central field, has a prominent place among the Salonitan monuments due to the quality of its workmanship, monumentality and symbolism. The sarcophagus with a scene of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, which held the relics of St. Felix and was originally located in the St. Francis Monastery in Split, has been dated somewhat later to the latter half of the 4th century. The relief with the personification of the city of Salona (Tyhe Salonitana) that was originally set on the arch of the city gate as a symbol of prosperity dates to the same period. It is an example of the use of pagan motifs in an era when Christianity had taken firm root, but in this context that depiction lost its pagan religious significance and retained only a symbolic character. Church interiors, especially in the 6th century, were equipped with luxurious marble furniture and architectural sculpture, often with cross motifs, Christograms and various decorative elements. The latter include the columns with capitals from the baptistery of the Salonitan cathedral, as well as the altar screens and altar tables from Salonitan churches.

The sphinxes inside Diocletian’s Palace are a unique and recognizable attraction in Split. They were brought there to decorate the Palace in compliance with the wishes of Emperor Diocletian’s, who was a lover of Egypt and Egyptian culture. One of these sphinxes, on display in the Archaeological Museum, formerly belonged to Pharaoh Amenhotep III and was made at around 1400 BC, which can be read on the inscriptions in the cartouches on its bust and pedestal.

The Archaeological Museum’s exhibition hall presents objects used in households and everyday life, or for military and liturgical purposes, for example pottery and glassware and numerous oil-lamps adorned with a variety of motifs in their central fields, mainly Christian symbols and allegorical representations.

Liturgical accessories, such as a censer from the Crkvina/Klapavica near Solin, a silver spoon bearing the inscription ‘Mattheus’, a bone comb with an image of Jesus Christ and Sts. Peter and Paul, or reliquaries, all testify to the rich religious life in the Salonitan area in Late Antiquity. Christian motifs can also be seen on items of everyday use, such as dishes or parts of attire, and on weights, which often have a cross next to the weight designation as a guarantee of their accuracy. Jewellery, fibulae and belt sets from that period were produced in Salona, albeit under the stylistic influences of the Eastern Roman sphere. The finds are characterized by their variety and unconventionality, which were probably a consequence from the intermingling of the different tastes and customs of the Eastern and Western Empires under the strong influence of Germanic tribes.

Good Shepherd Sarcophagus

Good Shepherd Sarcophagus

  • 310-330
  • Salona, Manastirine
  • marble
  • lid: length 266 cm, width 134 cm, height 102 cm
  • chest with base: length 253 cm, width 138 cm, height 130 cm

The front of the sarcophagus has three consecutive scenes. The one on the left contains a woman standing on a high pedestal holding an infant and surrounded by a group of people. The image on the right side is of a man portrayed as a philosopher, holding a scroll in his hand with a bundle of scrolls next to his left leg. The most important scene is the central one, where Jesus Christ is shown as the Good Shepherd, holding a lamb on his shoulders, with two more sheep next to him. The motif of the Good Shepherd, wherein Jesus is portrayed protecting believers and their souls and never forsaking them, is common in Christian art.

Sarcophagus with scene of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea

Sarcophagus with scene of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea

  • latter half of 4th century
  • Split, St. Francis Monastery
  • marble
  • length 220 cm, width 68 cm, height 56 cm

From the 14th to the beginning of the 20th century, the sarcophagus was located in the Monastery of St. Francis in Split, and until the early 15th century, it held the relics of St. Felix. From there it was moved to the Archaeological Museum in Split. It is presumably from Salona. The front of the sarcophagus contains the Old Testament scene of the Israelites fleeing from the Egypt, and consists of two groups of figures: the fleeing Israelites led by Moses, who parts the Red Sea for them, and the pursuing Egyptians, led by the pharaoh in a chariot. On the rear side of the sarcophagus, an orans, a woman praying with arms outstretched, is depicted in the central field, while figures of men, probably Apostles, are to her left and right. The right lateral side has Christ’s monogram between two Apostles, while the left lateral side is decorated with a fish-scale motif.

Relief with personification of the city of Salona (Tyche or Fortuna Salonitana)

Relief with personification of the city of Salona (Tyche or Fortuna Salonitana)

  • 4th century AD
  • Salona, city gate (Porta Caesarea)
  • limestone
  • height 102 cm, width 56 cm, thickness 44 cm

The relief was built into the arch of Salona’s city gate. The woman, who symbolizes the city of Salona, is shown wearing a crown shape liked the city walls, her left arm resting on a full grain weighing vessel (modius), which symbolizes prosperity, while she holds in her right hand a flag with the abbreviation of the city’s name, M I V S F (Martia Iulia Valeria Salona Felix).

Capital from the Salona cathedral’s baptistery

Capital from the Salona cathedral’s baptistery

  • 6th century AD
  • Salona
  • marble
  • height 47 cm, maximum diameter 58 cm

The capital made in the openwork technique is lavishly decorated with plant (vine, oak), animal (peacock, thrush) and fantastic (griffin) motifs.

Sphinx

Sphinx

  • made: ca. 1400 BC; use: end of 3rd – beginning of 4th century AD
  • Split, Cindro Palace
  • limestone
  • length 151 cm, height 44 cm, width 45 cm

The sphinx was brought from Egypt to decorate Diocletian’s Palace at the end of the 3rd or the beginning of the 4th century. The sphinx is a mythical, fantastical being, usually with a lion’s body and a woman’s head. Sphinx sculptures were placed next to the tombs of the pharaohs and temples dedicated to Egyptian deities.

The chest and base have inscriptions are engraved in cartouches containing both names of Pharaoh Amenhotep III (Men-neb-Re and Imen-hotep-heka-was), to whom the sphinx originally belonged. Since the ruler is mentioned on the chest as the chosen one of Amun-Ra, the sphinx may have originally been intended for one of Amun’s temples in Thebes.

Oil lamp

Oil lamp

  • 4th century
  • Salona
  • ceramic
  • height 4.8 cm, length 16 cm, width 16 cm

An oil lamp with four nozzles and a concave discus with an image two fish and five loaves of bread, symbolizing the miracle of Jesus Christ feeding the multitude. The pouring hole and vent are shaped like four-petal rosette. The edge of the discus had three ribbon-like handles for hanging, only of which has been preserved. The bottom is slightly concave.

Oil lamp

Oil lamp

  • end of 4th/5th century
  • Salona
  • ceramic
  • length 14.9 cm, width 8.7 cm, height 5.5 cm

Two fish are portrayed on the lamp’s central discus, while the shoulder is decorated with relief motifs of concentric circles, six-petal rosettes and squares with circles inside. The fish is one of the oldest and most widespread Christian symbols, used to indicate Jesus Christ. The Greek word for fish was interpreted as an acronym consisting Greek words that, in translation, mean Jesus Christ, son of God, Saviour.

Censer

Censer

  • 6th century
  • Crkvina-Klapavice near Klis
  • bronze
  • height (without chain) 14.5 cm, height (with chain) 31. cm, diameter 7.3 cm

The superbly preserved censer was discovered during archaeological excavations at the Crkvina-Klapavice site near Klis in 1906, outside the apse of an early Christian church. It has the architectural form of a hexagonal central structure with a pyramidal hexagonal roof, the lower section opened by a row of arcades (like a mausoleum or baptistery). It has three components: a hexagonal container in which incense or another fragrant substance was burned, a lid and three chains. The censer is probably a Coptic product from the 6th century.

Fragment of comb with images of Christ and the Apostles

Fragment of comb with images of Christ and the Apostles

  • 5th century
  • Salona, east of Porta Caesarea, near the Episcopal Centre
  • bone
  • length 3.2 cm, height 6 cm, thickness 0.9 cm

A fragment of a comb with figural representations in relief. Both sides of the comb feature depictions of Christ with the Apostles, but only the central portion has been preserved. On one side, Christ sits on a throne with an open diptych in his left hand. The Apostle Paul is to the right. On the other side, part of the Christ figure with hand upraised hand and two fingers is preserved, while the Apostle Peter stands next to him. The other Apostles were likely depicted on the missing part of the comb.

Fibula

Fibula

  • 6th century
  • Split, Trstenik
  • silver
  • height 2.1 cm, length 4.2 cm

The fibula shaped like a lioness with clearly depicted female traits has been attributed to early Byzantine art and belongs to a group of widely-accepted animal fibulae at that time. The fur on the animal’s body is indicated by wavy incised lines.