To My Family and Uğraş Uzun - Bilkent University

at the right and left corners, as well as the usual scroll work. However, these egg
mouldings do not exist on the Antakya Sarcophagus. These egg mouldings are
possibly later elements, as the Adana Sarcophagus is not the only one where they
were used. The eggs also exist on Istanbul B (Sidemara), which is dated to c.AD
250. The eggs do not exist on earlier examples like Athens-London fragment
London A. Moreover, the ornamental elements on the geisons, capitals and
architraves on the Antakya Sarcophagus and the Adana Sarcophagus are alike.
In light of this evidence, on stylistic grounds, the Adana Sarcophagus
should be slightly later than the Antakya Sarcophagus. So, the production date of
the Antakya Sarcophagus is most probably between AD 215-25. It must be noted,
however, that this time span is based on the accepted chronology of Wiegartz,
and there are problems with this, as explained above. Another more accurate and
updated chronology for the Asiatic columnar sarcophagi could give more certain
results.
The coins found in the sarcophagus, although do not directly confirm this
proposed date, are not in contradiction with it. It is possible that the sarcophagus
was used 15 years later it was produced, either was not bought by the customer
who first commissioned it, and bought by a second customer, or it was bought by
the original buyer and waited to be used. Another possibility is that the
sarcophagus was re-used, as mentioned before, which might be indicated by the
ancient damage on the chest and the lid.
As noted, we unfortunately do not have the opportunity to make use of the
hair and beard styles of the portraits on the lid of the Antakya Sarcophagus to
confirm the proposed date. To what extent the hair and beard styles of the figures
on the chest can be used for dating is disputable, as none of the figures have
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