Archaeology | Capitals | Composite | Composite column capital with plain leaves | Artwork profile

White marble

Tot. h. 32 cm; abacus’ side 40 cm; diag. 57 cm; max. w. with volutes 50 cm; base diam. 26 cm

Beginning of the IV cent. AD


Report

Composite column capital with plain leaves

Composite capital retaining all the canonical elements of such typology apart from the rosettes stemming from behind the leaves of the second crown.

The two crowns are made of well-outlined leaves that have curled top and protruding central ridge forming the midrib (h. of first crown 8 cm; of second crown 20; of kalathos with rim 23 cm); several ends of the leaves are now broken away. The echinus is plain (h. 5 cm) and topped by the schematically rendered channel of the volutes; these are rounded, flat and disc-shaped (diam. 10 cm), and rest over the four angular leaves of the second crown; the scroll running through the volute channel is here substituted with an astragal that reaches the outer margin of volutes, merging into it. A plain astragal divides the echinus from the rim of the kalathos.

The abacus (h. 7 cm) has two broken edges, while two projecting circular lobes are preserved, in which the rosettes were supposed to be carved.

The typological characteristics outlined, as well as the comparison with some examples found in Ostia, allow us to date our composite capital with plain leaves around the beginning of the IV century AD.