The Tomb of Sulpicius Platorinus and his family serves as an important case study for the use of cineraria by elite Romans. Uncovered fully in 1880 during excavation by Rodolfo Lanciani on the right bank of the Tiber River between Ponte Sisto and the via della Lungara, this tomb presents invaluable display context information for cineraria through its architecture, relief decoration, sculpture, and grave goods.
In 1883, the tomb was demolished during necessary construction of Tiber embankments, but much of its finds were transported and stored in the Museo Nazionale Romano alle Terme di Diocleziano. In 1911 Roberto Paribeni reconstructed the tomb in Aula X of the Terme di Diocleziano where it stands today.
The cinerary urns found in the tomb are all on display in their documented niches within the tomb. This essay considers the urns in relation to each other, portraits, architectural reliefs, and the tomb space in which they stand.