Roman sarcophagus with Dionysus-Hercules Brinking Game found in Israel

Israeli archaeologists Recently discovered an old sarcophagus representing a scene familiar to many today: an alcohol consumption game.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced the discovery in an article on Facebook on June 9.

THE Roman sarcophagus, or coffin, was found on an archaeological site of the ancient capital of Caesarea. Discovery is the first of its kind in Israel.

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The marble sarcophagus illustrates a consumption scene between Dionysus, The god of wine, and Hercules.

Images of the site show archaeologists radiating next to the discovery, which the IAA described as “spectacular”.

A former Roman sarcophagus with Dionysus-Hercules Brinking Game was recently found in Israel. (Authority for Israeli Antiquities)

“In the center, we see Dionysos, the god of wine, and around him, a host of a crowd of mythological characters such as Menads (followers of Dionysos), satyries, hermes, pan, lions and tigers,” said the IAA declaration.

Archaeologists were not sure that the whole scene described until the sarcophagus was given to the IAA conservation team – which gathered the fragments.

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“Thanks to the restoration, the scenes have been fully revealed,” said IAA.

IAA archaeologists compared the discovery to “a scene from a film”.

Archaeologists say that Roman Sarcophagus offers “an unusual perspective” on death. (Authority for Israeli Antiquities)

“We started to remove the soft and light sand from the dune, when suddenly the tip of a marble object appeared,” said Nohar Shahar and Shani Amit archaeologists.

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“The whole excavation team was held with enthusiasm, and while we editions more sand, we could not believe what we saw – parts of a sarcophagus, on which figures were sculpted: gods, animals and trees.”

“This sarcophagus offers an unusual perspective of the idea of ​​death – not as an end, but as the beginning of a new path.”

The pair added: “Each discovered fragment was more impressive than the one before … (including) an entire intact side of the sarcophagus, which was buried in the sand, was discovered.”

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So who won the alcohol consumption competition?

Israeli officials revealed the answer – which is not surprising.

The marble coffin discovered in Caesarea shows Hercules who loses against Dionysos, according to Israeli archaeologists. (Authority for Israeli Antiquities)

“The state of Hercules, represented on the sarcophagus as someone who is no longer able to stand up, points out the obvious answer: Dionysos,” said Shahar.

Shahar has also noted that it was the first time that a Dionysus-Hercules consumption scene was found on a funeral coffin in Israel.

This “is part of our commitment to making the past heritage of the country accessible”.

“While the Dionysos wine processions are a familiar motive in the 2nd and 3rd centuries sarcophagi, this scene of specific consumption competitions … is known here mainly in mosaics,” said the historian.

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“In this case, it seems that the figures do not only celebrate – they actually accompany the dead during his last trip, when drinking and dancing are transformed into a symbol of liberation and transition to life in the following world.”

She added: “This sarcophagus offers an unusual perspective of the idea of ​​death – not as an end, but as the beginning of a new path.”

Archaeologists said that the discovery of sarcophagus was like a “scene of a film”, highlighting their excitement about the discovery. (Authority for Israeli Antiquities)

The director of the AIA, Eli Escusido, also said that the sarcophagus reflects the ancient Roman perceptions of life and faith.

It will be available for a public vision in the future.

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“The sarcophagus undergoes a meticulous conservation process which, once finished, will allow it to be presented to the general public as part of our commitment to the past heritage of the country accessible,” said the official.