Reuse and Renovation in Roman Material Culture

The reuse of architectural and sculptural materials (spoliation) was common centuries earlier than previously realized, during the Roman empire.

This book is for those interested in the Roman world. It treats the reuse of sculptural and architectural materials in new contexts, and explores the new associations that these 'out of place' materials created for their viewers. Materials were sometimes used to create new meanings, and sometimes for economic expedience.This book explores the spoliation of architectural and sculptural materials during the Roman empire. Examining a wide range of materials, including imperial portraits, statues associated with master craftsmen, architectural moldings and fixtures, tombs and sarcophagi, arches and gateways, it demonstrates that secondary intervention was common well before Late Antiquity, in fact, centuries earlier than has been previously acknowledged. The essays in this volume, written by a team of international experts, collectively argue that reuse was a natural feature of human manipulation of the physical environment, rather than a sign of social pressure. Reuse often reflected appreciation for the function, form, and design of the material culture of earlier eras. Political, social, religious, and economic factors also contributed to the practice. A comprehensive overview of spoliation and reuse, this volume examines the phenomenon in Rome and throughout the Mediterranean world.