An interdisciplinary study of an unknown Roman matron’s sculpture portrait from Chersonesos Taurica

Abstract

This study will examine the marble sculpture portrait of an unidentified Roman matron from Chersonesos Taurica through an interdisciplinary approach. Identifying Roman portraits, especially those found in remote provinces or outside the Roman Empire with limited written sources, poses a significant challenge. By employing interdisciplinary methods in the study of ancient sculpture, it is possible not only to determine the date and origin of the material, but also to associate it with a specific historical individual. The authors of this paper employed a multifaceted analytical approach, combining historical methods and art historical analysis with spectral-isotopic and traceological techniques, which enabled the identification of the person memorialised in the sculpture uncovered at Chersonesos Taurica.