“A fourth century tomb discovered in the vicinity of Tripoli (ancient Oea) at the beginning of the 20th century contained two funerary niches, the larger devoted to a woman named Aelia Arisuth. Elaborate wall paintings surround Aelia’s niche and portrait, and below the niche a detailed scene of a chariot race. Other scholars have tried to explain the racing motif by inferring Mithraic or Christian references, in spite of the fact that there are no clearly identifiable religious symbols usually associated with such tombs. In my view it is more likely, given Aelia Arisuth’s obvious wealth and status, that she had some other involvement with the event.” [Martine De Marre, 2016, Aelia Arisuth: Mithraic Matron or Popular Patron? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303922927_Aelia_Arisuth_Mithraic_Matron_or_Popular_Patron]
“A fourth century tomb discovered in the vicinity of Tripoli, Libya (ancient Oea) at the beginning of the 20th century during the Italian occupation contained two funerary niches, the larger devoted to a woman named Aelia Arisuth.
Elaborate wall paintings surround Aelia’s niche and portrait, and below the niche a detailed scene of a chariot race. Above the larger niche there is an inscription, held by two genii, which reads “Consecrated to the souls of the departed. Aelia Arisuth lived approximately sixty years”. [https://www.nikolasvakalis.com/tripoli-libya]
- Martine De Marre, 2016, Aelia Arisuth: Mithraic Matron or Popular Patron? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303922927_Aelia_Arisuth_Mithraic_Matron_or_Popular_Patron
- Completing the Picture: Women and the Female Principle in the Mithraic Cult; Alison B. Griffith, 2006 https://www.jstor.org/stable/27643199
- https://docplayer.net/44102826-A-painted-tomb-was-discovered-in-israel-near-kibbutz-or-ha-ner-ill-1-in.html
- An article: Lights, light and lighting in ancient Rome https://domus-romana.blogspot.com/2022/01/luces-luz-e-iluminacion-en-la-antigua.html
- Italy to restore Mitra tomb in Libya’s Tripoli – Italy – ANSAMed.it https://www.ansamed.info
- https://www.roger-pearse.com/weblog/2019/03/29/the-tomb-of-aelia-arisuth-in-libya/
- The current situation of the archeological heritage in Libya http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CLT/movable/pdf/PresentationYemen.pdf
Related posts:
Medallions with portraits from Palmyra, paintings and sculptures
Jewelry on sculptures – Etruscan
Women from early Christian frescos – jewelry on paintings
Ancient treasures from the Al Thani Collection
Roman period wall paintings – overview from the database of Alix Barbet
Isis Noreia, 2nd century, Roman time Austria [d/b]
Torlonia girl
Paulina, priestess of Artemis Pergaia and the imperial cult [d/b]
Tyche from Kilyos; discriminalia [d/b]
Stele from Syria, Roman, 2nd century. For sale in Vienna [d/b]
Big frontal brooches. Jewelry on sculptures and gold glass
Ancient Arabia – female portraits. Jewelry on sculptures
That’s fascinating; the detail about the chariot race scene really brings that era to life.