Sacrificial Altar
Front - original west face
Reconstruction: The sacrificial altar is the center-piece of the entire Ara Pacis Augustae, yet much of its form and size is necessarily speculative. Very few original parts had survived so that when the archaeologists reconstructed it in 1938 much of its size and shape had to be imagined. The archaeologists have tried to make this clear by distinguishing between original marble and other parts, but this is not normally understood by the public.
Parts of the sacrificial altar: Descriptions in publications are sometimes confusing because some sections of the sacrificial altar are referred to with different terms and the same term is sometimes used to refer to different sections.
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Only portions of the sacrificial altar can be seen from any one position outside the precinct wall. photo July-Oct. 2008
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"Fig. 99 - Architectonic structure of the altar (drawing G. Gatti)". Scanned from Giiuseppe Moretti, L'Ara Pacis Augustae; Rome, 2005 (1st ed. 1948), vol.1, fig.99. Reproduced with appreciation.
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To avoid misinterpreting the color of the Ara Pacis, it is well to note the range of color recorded in a photograph such as this. The light, creamy color at the top of the altar and on the far wall are appropximately accurate, whereas areas in the foreground are seriously discolored by shadows and reflections. 14mm lens, severe perspective distortion, |
"Author's drawing. East-west section of the altar with dimensions." This is the only published drawing of these measurements; taken in the field. Scanned from Wayne Andersen, The Ara Pacis of Augustus and Mussolini: An Archaeological Mystery; Geneva: Editions Fabriart, 2003, fig.9. Reproduced with appreciation. |
"Author's quick sketch made at the site. A - stepped base and podium, B - hypothetical prothesis, C - table top". Scanned from Wayne Andersen, The Ara Pacis of Augustus and Mussolini: An Archaeological Mystery; Geneva: Editions Fabriart, 2003, fig.46. Reproduced with appreciation. |
"Author's drawing. West elevation of the altar, with dimensions taken in the field, and human scale". Scanned from Wayne Andersen, The Ara Pacis of Augustus and Mussolini: An Archaeological Mystery; Geneva: Editions Fabriart, 2003, fig..42. Reproduced with appreciation. |
For clarity, I prefer to refer to the level running just below the podium as the "plinth" on which the podium rests, though some scholars refer to it as the top of a 4-stepped base. photo Oct. 2008 |
The face of the reconstructed podium has been roughened to indicate that it almost certainly held reliefs. photo July 2008
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Clearly, the molding on the front of the podium would originally have continued around onto the inner face beside the steps. photo July 2008
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Left side of the sacrificial altar and wall beyond, as seen from the doorway. 14mm lens, severe perspective distortion, photo Oct. 2008 |
Remnant of the podium's original upper molding, showing that it was an egg and dart design. photo July-Oct. 2008
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Remnant of the podium's original lower molding; alternating convex-concave, with cable molding at the bottom. photo July-Oct. 2008
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