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Terracotta Tomb Plaque

400–800
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 301
This plaque is thought to be a cover for a niche in a columbarium, or communal tomb. The Christogram--the monogram for Christ's name formed from the first two letters of his name in Greek (x and p), identifies the deceased as Christian. Scholars debate the meaning of the inscription in Latin, which may be a prayer for the deceased.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Terracotta Tomb Plaque
  • Date: 400–800
  • Culture: Spanish
  • Medium: Terracotta
  • Dimensions: Overall: 13 1/8 x 8 1/2 x 2 3/8 in. (33.3 x 21.6 x 6 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics
  • Credit Line: Gift of John Crosby Brown Moore, 1985
  • Object Number: 1985.147
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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