Sarcophagus of Theodota

The decorative sculptures of the Pavia sarcophagus date from about 720 and, owing to their less courtly and refined tone, represent the most significant aspects of Longobard art more adequately than the much-debated Brescia slab. As in many other similar works, the relief, carved in calligraphic patterns, tends to lessen the sense of depth without depriving the volumes of their concreteness. The figures typical of Christian allegory are arranged according to a compositional scheme that is still purely Byzantine.