Roman barrel-shaped tombstone

Roman barrel-shaped tombstone. The tombstone commemorates a certain Lucius Julius Polybius, who lived 72 years, and the inscription on the object reads “sit tibi terra levis”, that is, “let the earth rest lightly”. Naturally, the shape of the tombstone suggests that the deceased was probably related to the production or trade of wine.

It is worth mentioning that during the empire, merchants more and more often transported wines in oak barrels, instead of amphoras. The main advantage of the barrels was that they were stronger and could be rolled on the surface.

The object is dated to the 2nd-3rd century CE and is located in a museum in the city of Evora (Portugal).