Jonah, Daniel, & Abraham on a Paleo-Christian Sarcophagus Lid

Cemetery of Callixtus, 300-325
Stone
Museo Pio Cristiano item 31483, The Vatican, Rome

On the ends are two scenes from the story of Jonah: left, a naked Jonah is thrown to the maw of the sea monster; right, he rests beneath the gourd tree, also naked. The portrait in the center is presumably the decedent. To its left, Habakkuk brings bread to Daniel in the lion's den. To the right of the portrait, Abraham is told not to sacrifice Isaac. This message is expressed both by the hand reaching for Abraham's sword on the left and the angel grabbing his arm on the right. Isaac, of course, is the one bound and kneeling before the flaming altar. The ram that will substitute for him is on his father's right.

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Photographed at the museum by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.