Towards the middle of the First Century BCE, the spread of cremation as an alternative to inhumation – which was never abandoned entirely, however – generated a demand for precious containers in which to place the ashes of the deceased, and eventually to a serialised production of marble or glass urns. The desire to accompany burials with costly items initially prompted the reuse as cineraries of recipients originally intended for other purposes, such as the precious containers in alabaster, faience and glass on display here.
The fine alabaster krater with surmounting handles, together with the rare rock crystal cup masterfully decorated in reliefwork, are from a funerary monument in ancient Capua. Both pieces would have featured in the funerary ritual and served to convey the status of their wealthy owner, also by means of their interesting allusion to symbology associated with wine. Urns made out of costly materials were probably displayed during the funeral procession. They have at times been discovered alongside finely-crafted beds decorated in ivory or bone. As a display of the wealth and rank of the deceased, they accompanied the body through the various stages of the funerary ritual up until its conclusion.