| Sarcophagus of Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa | |
|---|---|
 Sarcophagus of Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa | |
| Material | Terracotta |
| Size | Length 1.83 m |
| Created | 150–140 BC |
| Present location | British Museum,London |
| Registration | GR 1887.4-2.1 (Terracotta D 786) |
TheSarcophagus of Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa is the life-sizesarcophagus of anEtruscan noblewoman dating from between 150–140 BC. It was acquired by theBritish Museum in 1887.[1]
The brightly painted sarcophagus of the Etruscanaristocratic woman Seianti was discovered in 1886 at Poggio Cantarello nearChiusi inTuscany and was subsequently sold, along with its contents (a skeleton and some grave belongings), to the British Museum. A similar sarcophagus is in the collections of theNational Archaeological Museum inFlorence. Known as the Sarcophagus of Larthia Seianti, the two women were probably from the same dynastic family in ancient Chiusi.[citation needed]
The sarcophagus is amasterpiece of Etruscan artwork. The deceased woman's name is inscribed inEtruscan along the base of the chest. She must have belonged to one of the richest families ofChiusi, as Seianti is dressed sumptuously for the occasion, wearing an ornate gown and cloak, with complicated drapery falling sinuously over her body, and adorned with atiara, earrings, bracelets and a necklace. Seianti has been depicted as a mature lady, who gestures to adjust her veil, realistically revealing parts of her body in the process. She leans against a pillow and holds a mirror in her other hand, gazing into the distance.
Scientific analysis of the bones and teeth that were deposited in the chest indicated that Seianti probably died at about 50–55 years of age. The youthful appearance of the deceased woman depicted on the sarcophagus, which was typical ofEtruscan art at the time, can be compared with a reconstruction of her more mature face in the museum, based on the features of the deceased woman's skull.
