Adam and Eve from the Catacomb of Marcellinus and Peter

Adam and Eve from the Catacomb of Marcellinus and Peter

Adam and Eve, late 3rd to 4th century, Roman, fresco, Rome, Catacomb of Marcellinus and Peter.

This fresco of Adam and Eve in the garden is instantly recognizable to anyone who is familiar with the scene from later centuries of Christian art. Within the catacomb, there is a mixture of pagan (including a representation of Orpheus playing a lyre), Christian (such as the raising of Lazarus), Old Testament (for example an elaborate depiction of the story of Jonah), and quotidian (a room decorated with paintings of athletes) imagery. This apparent comfort with the coexistence of styles and themes speaks to the gradual and adaptive shift in visual culture that occurred with the rise of Christianity. The catacomb itself, named after the saints and martyrs Marcellinus and Peter who are traditionally believed to have been buried there, covers 3 hectares in total with 4.5 kilometers of underground rooms on three distinct levels. During excavations in the 21st century, some 20,000 skeletons were found.

https://www.santimarcellinoepietro.it/

Catacombe SS. Marcellino e Pietro