DOI article:
Ratkowska, Paulina: "Ut quid perditio haec?": Ivory relief Christ in the House of Simon
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18951#0022
When we consider the sepulchral context present in Christ’s answer, our
attention must be drawn to the form of the table in the centre of the relief: its
round top and three łegs (i.e. tńpod) point toward Greece as the place of origin of
this form.38 The popularization of it on a large scalę took place in the Hellenistic
epoch. Ancient Romę took it over from Greece.311 Out of many applications of
the tńpodM] an interesting one we are going to discuss is its use in the funeral
cult. The main way of honouring the deceased was the funeral reception, known
from many representations on the steles of tombs, funeral reliefs and catacomb
paintings.41 The table—necessary piece of furniture on which were laid sacrifices
and food—represented various types of tńpod and another three-legged table called
mensa, ipaTis^a (table). Mensa with a round top was called 'trapeza delphica' (the
name took its origin from the consecration of the tńpod to Apollo, the prophetic
god of Delphi.)42 The legs of such tables were often movable, carved at the bottom
into lion paws, gryffin talons or hooves and at the top sometimes decorated with
figural carvings and capitals. Instead of the ancient lebes (crater) such a table had
a top on which the food was laid and, probably, a fire was burnt. These tables served
as portative altars. Usually trapeza delpluca was covered with drapery. Freąuently
on representations of funeral banąuets two servants are shown symmetrically in
the foreground. These were Roman youngsters or captives; they held tumblers
a result of iconographical modifications, the place of Judas is amidst the Apostles in background, for
example in the mosaic of St. Sophie in Kiev and in the monastery in Gelati (Georgia). According to
the chronological settlements of Millet, we should see in our representation the first iconographic
version accentuating Judas’ arrogance and insincerity in his talk with Jesus. This tradition was
continued afterwards by the painters of Cappadocia, however, without real understanding of the
Antiąue ceremoniał.
38 A. de Ridder, Mensa, in Dictionnaire des Antiąuites Grecąues et Romaines d’apres les textes et les
monuments, Paris 1904, III, 2epartie (L-M), pp. 1720ff.
3Q Ch. Dubois, Tripns, in Dictionnaire des Antiąuites..., op.cit., fasc. (Tabella-Textrinum), Paris 1912,
especially II: Etruńe and III: Romę, pp. 480—481 ff.
40 Domestic tables for libations—objects of everyday use; sacrificial tables—mensae deorum of
Eneide (Vergil, 2, 764); agonistic tables for the memory of victories; tables offered to heroes and
even to the common men; chorał tables—rewards for the leaders of the choirs; tomb mensae,
freąuently found in the tombs in Etruria. Such tables were madę of various materials: gold, silver,
brass, silver copper, marble, ivory, stone, ceramics combined with metal, wood. They were objects
of luxury.
41 See the Induction of Vibia on the pagan tomb in the syncretistic catacomb near the cemetery
Coemeterium Praetextati in Romę. Vibia enters the Eden, led by the Good Angel, repr. Ch.R. Morey,
Early Christian Art, Princeton 1953, no. 38, p. 266; Hearenly Feast with the personification of
Love and Peace—fresco in the crypt of Peter and Marcelline from the 4th century, ibide?n, no.
p. 269; Heavenly Feast—fresco of the end of 3nd century in the crypt of Gaudentius (lunette of the
arcosolium), repr. P. de Bourguet, Die fruhchristliche Malerei. Epochen der Kunst, vol. 3, Giitersloh
1965, pl. 87. It should be considered as symbolic representation of a meal, offered to the dead.
42 De Ridder, op.cit.
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attention must be drawn to the form of the table in the centre of the relief: its
round top and three łegs (i.e. tńpod) point toward Greece as the place of origin of
this form.38 The popularization of it on a large scalę took place in the Hellenistic
epoch. Ancient Romę took it over from Greece.311 Out of many applications of
the tńpodM] an interesting one we are going to discuss is its use in the funeral
cult. The main way of honouring the deceased was the funeral reception, known
from many representations on the steles of tombs, funeral reliefs and catacomb
paintings.41 The table—necessary piece of furniture on which were laid sacrifices
and food—represented various types of tńpod and another three-legged table called
mensa, ipaTis^a (table). Mensa with a round top was called 'trapeza delphica' (the
name took its origin from the consecration of the tńpod to Apollo, the prophetic
god of Delphi.)42 The legs of such tables were often movable, carved at the bottom
into lion paws, gryffin talons or hooves and at the top sometimes decorated with
figural carvings and capitals. Instead of the ancient lebes (crater) such a table had
a top on which the food was laid and, probably, a fire was burnt. These tables served
as portative altars. Usually trapeza delpluca was covered with drapery. Freąuently
on representations of funeral banąuets two servants are shown symmetrically in
the foreground. These were Roman youngsters or captives; they held tumblers
a result of iconographical modifications, the place of Judas is amidst the Apostles in background, for
example in the mosaic of St. Sophie in Kiev and in the monastery in Gelati (Georgia). According to
the chronological settlements of Millet, we should see in our representation the first iconographic
version accentuating Judas’ arrogance and insincerity in his talk with Jesus. This tradition was
continued afterwards by the painters of Cappadocia, however, without real understanding of the
Antiąue ceremoniał.
38 A. de Ridder, Mensa, in Dictionnaire des Antiąuites Grecąues et Romaines d’apres les textes et les
monuments, Paris 1904, III, 2epartie (L-M), pp. 1720ff.
3Q Ch. Dubois, Tripns, in Dictionnaire des Antiąuites..., op.cit., fasc. (Tabella-Textrinum), Paris 1912,
especially II: Etruńe and III: Romę, pp. 480—481 ff.
40 Domestic tables for libations—objects of everyday use; sacrificial tables—mensae deorum of
Eneide (Vergil, 2, 764); agonistic tables for the memory of victories; tables offered to heroes and
even to the common men; chorał tables—rewards for the leaders of the choirs; tomb mensae,
freąuently found in the tombs in Etruria. Such tables were madę of various materials: gold, silver,
brass, silver copper, marble, ivory, stone, ceramics combined with metal, wood. They were objects
of luxury.
41 See the Induction of Vibia on the pagan tomb in the syncretistic catacomb near the cemetery
Coemeterium Praetextati in Romę. Vibia enters the Eden, led by the Good Angel, repr. Ch.R. Morey,
Early Christian Art, Princeton 1953, no. 38, p. 266; Hearenly Feast with the personification of
Love and Peace—fresco in the crypt of Peter and Marcelline from the 4th century, ibide?n, no.
p. 269; Heavenly Feast—fresco of the end of 3nd century in the crypt of Gaudentius (lunette of the
arcosolium), repr. P. de Bourguet, Die fruhchristliche Malerei. Epochen der Kunst, vol. 3, Giitersloh
1965, pl. 87. It should be considered as symbolic representation of a meal, offered to the dead.
42 De Ridder, op.cit.
20