The Vigna Codini columbaria tombs and others excavated in the nineteenth century saw the loss of many cinerary urns to looters and destruction over time. Despite these losses, the Vigna Codini tombs serve as a valuable case study for examining the influence of display context on the appearance of cinerary urns, that is to say the decorations chosen for urns placed in niches of certain shapes, sizes, or locations within the tomb plan.
The following marble cinerary urns were all found in situ in the Vigna Codini Columbaria Tombs in Rome. Below they are classified according to their use in this project, in Friederike Sinn’s 1987 catalogue numbers, and which tomb number they come from.
| Project Number | Sinn Catalogue | Vigna Codini Grave I, II, or III |
| 79 | 151 | I |
| 100 | 177 | III |
| 119 | 204 | III |
| 166 | 268 | III |
| 170 | 275 | I |
| 185 | 295 | III |
| 195 | 305 | I |
| 201 | 312 | II |
| 202 | 313 | I |
| 216 | 330 | III |
| 217 | 331 | III |
| 256 | 382 | III |
| 259 | 385 | III |
| 281 | 423 | II |
| 302 | 452 | III |
| 315 | 470 | III |
| 377 | 569 | III |
| 393 | 593 | III |
| 408 | 609 | I |
| 411 | 613 | III |
| 435 | 650 | III |
| 439 | 655 | III |
| 440 | 658 | III |
| 451 | 673 | I |
Cinerary urns recorded as coming from the Vigna Codini columbaria tombs are listed as follows with greater detail:
GRAVE 1
Sinn 305
chest
– Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Mag Nr. V. C. 7
Via Appia, Vigna Codini Grave 1
Dis Manibus / P. Longeni / Agathonis / Octania Ias / coniugi benemerenti (CIL VI 5068)
(Octania Ias to P. Longenus Agathon, her well deserving husband)
Sinn 313
chest
Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Mag. Nr. V C 4
Vigna Codini Grave 1
Sponsa / Optati et Cytheridis / filia vixit a. XV s. (CIL VI 5072)
Sinn 609
Round
Rome, Via Appia, Vigna Codini, Grave 1
Ne tangito / o martalis / reverere / Manes Deos
Sinn 673
chest
1734 Rome, Via Appia, outside Porta Latina, Vigna Curti;
allegedly Grave 1, Vigna Codini
Erasinus Caes. / n. ser. adiutor a / vinis Claudiae / Phiale coiugi su/ae bene merenti / fecit (CIL VI 5062=9092)
GRAVE 2
Sinn 312
round, vessel-shaped
1847 – Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Mag. Inv. 297188
Found 1847 Via Appia Vigna Codini Grave 2
- Iulius Optatus / vixit annis XXI / Statilia Aegele / fratri suo fecit (CIL VI 4683)
Statilia Aegele made for her brother C. Iulius Optatus
Sinn 423
1847 – Rome, CIL VI S. 910)
Flavia Zoe / Ti. Claudio Ia/nuario con/iugi carissi/mo fec. et f. ei/us Iuliae Ianu/ariae quae vi/xit ann. XVI m. VI die. VIII ex / donatione / loci – C. Iuli Threpti / et colliberto/rum eius et ex donatio/ne Ti. Claudi / Homeri et / colliberto/rum eius
Flavia Zoe to Ti. Claudius Ianuarius and for Iulia Ianuaria his daughter
C. Iuli Threptus and Ti. Claudius Homerus (colliberti)
GRAVE 3
Sinn 318
chest
1852 – Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Inv. 297201
1852 – Rome, Via Appia, Vigna Codini Grave 3
Ti. Claudius / Terentinus / vix. ann. XXXII (CIL VI 5320)
Sinn 331
double chest
Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Mag. Nr. V C 47
Vigna Codini Grave 3
M. Waecilius Crestus / M. Waecilius Hilaro – benemerenti (CIL VI 5269)
Sinn 650
1852 Rome, Via Appia, Vigna Codini Grave 4
D. M. / Aeli Aug. lib. / Advenae / qui vixit / annis XLII / Aelia Aug. lib. / Extricata coniu/gi bene merenti (CIL VI 5308)
Aelia Augusta L. to Aelius Augustus L.
Sinn 655
chest
Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Mag. Inv. 297199
probably Vigna Codini Grave 3
inscribed Iulius Polybianus but is a copy of CIL VI 5328
Sinn 658
chest
1852 – Rome, Via Appia, Vigna Codini Grave 3
D.M. / P. Valerio / Augustali / Terentia / Macaria / uxor f. et sib. (CIL VI 5338)
Terentia Macaria to P. Valerius Augustalis
Sinn 682
chest
1852 – Rome, Via Appia, Vigna Codini Grave 3
D. M. / Aurelia Vitalis / Cupidini abiae suae bene merenti fec. (CIL VI 5314)