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Ancient Roman

Cinerary Urn of Plautia Hesperis

1st century
Marble
33.3 × 31.4 cm (13.1 × 12.4 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Prior to A.D. 100, the Romans typically cremated their dead and placed the ashes and remaining bones in urns and ossuaries (containers used to hold skeletal remains). The front of this urn is adorned with heart-shaped ivy leaves and an inscription that identifies the deceased, a young woman named Plautia Hesperis. Much like modern headstones, the inscription indicates the length of her life (“Lived 16 years”). The lid is adorned with simple rosettes at the corners, while an eagle, thought by the Romans to carry the deceased’s soul into the realm of the gods, is perched at its center.

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