Abstract:

This paper aims to study the sculptural elements of the Roman period, mostly unpublished, preserved in the Diocesan Museum of Tarragona. Almost all of them belonged to the architectural and figurative program of the temple of divus Augustus, as can be corroborated by its finding circumstances. However, the pieces whose origin is known were found probably in secondary context, associated with marble recycling workshops from the Late-Antique period. Most of the pieces correspond to architectural reliefs. The clipei belonging to masks of Jupiter Ammon and Medusa predominate. Fragments of the perimeter decoration of various types are mainly preserved, although two fragments with Medusa masks are also found. We have also detected the remains of other reliefs of various typologies and few examples of exempt sculpture. Almost all of the pieces studied are made of the same fine-grained white marble, probably from Luni-Carrara. The study of all these sculptural elements allows us to provide new data on the ornamental and figurative programs in the area of the temple of Divus Augustus in Tarraco.