Reuse and Renovation in Roman Material Culture: Functions, Aesthetics, Interpretations

By: Diana Y. Ng and Molly Swetnam-Burland

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Synopsis: This book explores the spoliation of architectural and sculptural materials during the Roman empire. Examining a wide range of materials, including imperial portraits, statues associated with master craftsmen, architectural moldings and fixtures, tombs and sarcophagi, arches and gateways, it demonstrates that secondary intervention was common well before Late Antiquity, in fact, centuries earlier than has been previously acknowledged. The essays in this volume, written by a team of international experts, collectively argue that re-use was a natural feature of human manipulation of the physical environment, rather than a sign of social pressure. Re-use often reflected appreciation for the function, form, and design of the material culture of earlier eras. Political, social, religious, and economic factors also contributed to the practice. A comprehensive overview of spoliation and re-use, this volume examines the phenomenon in Rome and throughout the Mediterranean world.