Trimalchio's reminder of mortality

The Romans frequently linked images of banqueting and death in both literature and the visual arts. In Petronius' satirical novel, the Satyricon (60s CE), Trimalchio, the crass, nouveau-riche host of a dinner party, brings out a small silver skeleton between courses. The skeleton has flexible joints, and after posing it on the table in various ways, Trimalchio recites a poem to the effect that life is short and should be enjoyed before becoming a skeleton like the one he displays. He declares: “Alas for us poor mortals. Thus we shall all be, after Hades takes us away. Therefore, let us live while it goes well with us.” This bronze skeleton may have been used in the same manner. Although now missing several limbs, it too is jointed in a way that allows it to be posed or shaken so that it jumps and dances. Several similar skeletons are known, including one in silver found at Pompeii. - J. Paul Getty Museum

This remembrance of mortality actually spawned an art movement in the 17th century known as "vanitas"  where artists emphasized the emptiness and futility of earthly items by using still-life arrangements for moral instruction.  These arrangements included skulls, candles, hourglasses, watches, rotting fruit, wilting flowers, and fraying books to remind viewers just how precious and fleeting life is.

Image: Miniature bronze skeleton, 2 5/8 inches tall, Roman, 25 BCE - 100 CE, at the J. Paul Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, California. Made of bronze, this miniature skeleton features round eye sockets and a wide, grinning mouth with large upper teeth. Pin holes in the clavicle bone show that the arms were separately attached and moveable. The same is true of the pelvis bone where the left femur is still attached. The other end of the femur also has a pin hole for the attachment of the tibia. Only the pin remains of the right leg. The neck and head are also attached by pins. Most of the right-side ribs and both arms of the skeleton are missing 

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Ancient Marriage Rings

 Ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls dating to 6,000 years ago, depict the exchange of braided rings of hemp or reeds between spouses.  These bands were eventually replaced by circlets of leather, bone, or ivory. Ancient Egypt considered the circle to be a symbol of eternity, and the ring served to signify the perpetual love of the spouses. This was also the origin of the custom of wearing the wedding ring on the ring finger of the left hand, because the ancient Egyptians believed that this finger enclosed a special vein that was connected directly to the heart, in Latin the "Vena amoris".  

In ancient Greece and Rome betrothal rings resembling signet rings were introduced, most commonly with a  a "fede" ring, depicting two hands clasping in love or agreement - dextrarum iunctio. Initially, the ring was given by the groom to the father of the bride to serve as a symbol of bride purchase.  By the second century BCE, however, the ring was given to the bride to indicate the groom trusted her with his valuable property.  Although a gold ring, sometimes inset with carved carnelian, aquamarine, garnet, or onyx, was worn in public to display the husband's wealth and status, it was replaced by an iron ring, called the Anulus Pronubus, at home. These iron rings sometimes were formed in the shape of a key to represent control over the household possessions. Iron rings plated with gold have also been found.

The design eventually evolved to depict carvings of the couple themselves.  Although such rings were initially considered a pagan tradition, when Christianity was adopted as the state religion and representatives of the church began performing official marriages, rings were once more exchanged but religious images were incorporated into ring designs.  Sometimes inscriptions were included as well.  One example in the British Museum is inscribed "Te amo parum" - "I love you too little" or "I do not love you enough".

One of the first-known uncut diamond rings is dated to the 100s CE and found in Rome.  However, its association with love or marriage is unknown. The first documented diamond betrothal ring was exchanged in 1475 at the wedding of Costanzo Sforza and Camilla D'Aragona in Italy. Their wedding poem read “Two wills, two hearts, two passions are bonded in one marriage by a diamond.”

Earlier this year when I studied the Black Death we also discussed the development of artwork featuring "memento mori" skeletal images.  I was surprised to discover Renaissance-era gimmel marriage rings included memento mori in their artwork. 

To learn more about the history of the wedding ring check out:

http://withtheseringshandmade.com/history-of-wedding-rings

Early Byzantine silver marriage ring with wedding couple in profile, 375-425 CE, at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada courtesy of the museum.

Renaissance-era Gimmel-style marriage with with memento mori imagery at The Metropolitan Museum of Art courtesy of the museum.

A 6th-7th century gold marriage ring with couple depicted at The Metropolitan Museum of Art courtesy of the museum.

A 6th century gold and niello Byzantine marriage ring depicting scenes from the life of Christ at the Walters Art Museum courtesy of the museum.

A 6th century gold and niello Byzantine marriage ring depicting scenes from the life of Christ at the Walters Art Museum courtesy of the museum.

Gold and onyx 3rd century CE Roman "fede" ring.

1st century CE Roman "key" ring at the Vidy Roman Museum near Lausanne, Switzerland courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributor Rama.

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Memento Mori in the Boscoreale Treasure

One of the subjects touched on in the Great Courses lecture series, "The Black Death," was the rise of what was termed Memento Mori in art during and after the great mortality with paintings filled with skeletons.  But the somber reminder to remember we are mortal has been practiced throughout classical antiquity.  The Greek pre-Socratic philosopher Democritus born around 460 BCE, is said to have practiced the frequenting of tombs to remind himself of mankind's mortality.  The later Stoics, including Seneca, discussed the topic of death frequently.  The Stoic Epictetus admonished his students that when kissing their child, brother, or friend, they should remind themselves that they are mortal, curbing their pleasure, as do "those who stand behind men in their triumphs and remind them that they are mortal."

Ironically, such artwork was found in a villa in Boscoreale after it was destroyed by Vesuvius in 79 CE.  This skyphos or silver drinking cup is part of the celebrated Bosocoreale treasure, a large collection of exquisite silver and gold Roman objects discovered in the ruins of the ancient Villa della Pisanella at Boscoreale, near Pompeii.  This villa rustica covered 1000 square metres with a clearly defined residential sector and farm buildings. The villa was discovered in 1876, but it was only until April 13, 1895 that the remains of a vaulted box containing the treasure was discovered in the wine-pressing room of the villa. A number of the items discovered in the box were inscribed with the name Maxima, thought to be the daughter of L. Caecilius lucundus, a banker from Pompeii, who inherited the wealth of the Julio-Claudian dynasty in Campania.  The majority of the treasure is now in the collections of The Louvre.

Images: Memento Mori represented in the Boscoreale Treasure: Under garlands of roses: four scenes accompanied by epicurean maxims. The skeletons represent the remains of renowned authors: Euripedes, Sophocles, Menander, Moschino, and philosophers: Zénon, Epicurus, Monime of Athens, Demetrius of Phalere accompanied by explicit sentences, end of 1st century BCE- 1st century CE, gilt silver, in the collection of The Louvre. Image courtesy of The Louvre and photographer Hervé Lewandowski.

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