Sarcophagus of Origin

Lore

Created during the 2nd century AD in the Roman Empire, this marble relief sarcophagus was unearthed in Arles, France, and is now housed in the Louvre Museum. The front of the sarcophagus displays three narrative scenes in continuous relief: Prometheus shaping humans from clay, Athena bestowing souls upon them, and the theft of the celestial fire. As a funerary artifact, the sarcophagus engraves the myth of Prometheus as the creator within the resting place of the deceased, reflecting Roman-era contemplations on the origin of life and the immortality of the soul.