Sarcophagi of Helena and Constantina

The coffin, deprived of its contents for centuries, was removed from the Mausoleum of Helena at Tor Pignatarra, just outside the walled city of Rome.

In the 12th century it was moved to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran for the burial of Pope Anastasius IV.

[1] The Sarcophagus is carved in the Egyptian porphyry, used only in the finest Byzantine imperial monuments.

It is noted that the carved imagery depicts victorious Roman Cavalry riding above captured barbarians.

The decoration is a semi-pagan depictions of cupids in Dionysic harvesting of grapes to make wine; it has been interpreted as an early Christian reference to the eucharist.