The base of the chest has been roughed-out, as has the top, but work on the garland scheme was only just started. Why work was abandoned at this stage is unclear but it is possible that the chest was needed immediately.
The drainage hole in the bottom left corner of the chest is probably a later addition. Many sarcophagi ended up as water troughs or were used for storing or fermenting liquids in later periods and often had drainage holes added to them to facilitate this.
