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Source Image: PR205_1_01_16 of Plate XXXVII / Scene LII of Column of Trajan

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Description

Soldiers moving rubble or earth in a basket.

Monument
Column of Trajan 
Monument Part
Plate XXXVII / Scene LII 
Monument Type
Relief 
Material(s)
Luna Marble (Archaeometric identification)  
Date
circa ad 113 
Keywords
Roman SoldierBuildingBasket  

Location

Current Location
Rome 

Evidence for working practices

1. Toolmarks

Process
Outlining
Tool
Channelling Tool
Method
Angle: Shallow (40-50°)
Force: Gentle
Description
A channelling tool or a narrow flat chisel was used to help define the figure from the background.

2. Toolmarks

Process
Detailing
Tool
Flat Chisel
Method
Angle: Shallow (40-50°)
Force: Gentle
Description
The corner of the flat chisel was used to represent the weave of the basket.

Notes

This motif, of a soldier half-submerged in the ground handing a basket of earth to a colleague, is repeated several times on the Column. The basket is damaged but it is also depicted at an awkward angle which is at odds with the otherwise high-quality carving on display here. This might indicate that the basket was added after the figures had been carved and had to be fitted into a space which was too small for it. There are numerous instances on the Column when non-figurative details appear to have been squeezed into small spaces.

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