Image Details

Limestone sarcophagus portrays the Biblical story of Jonah and the fish. Angered by Jonah’s refusal to preach at Nineveh, God sends a storm upon the ship in which Jonah rides, left center. Fearing for their lives, three sailors cast the prophet into the storm-tossed sea and into the gaping jaws of a large fish, or ketos. After three days and three nights inside the fish’s belly, Jonah is miraculously vomited out onto dry land, bottom right. Jonah rests nude, upper right center, beneath an overhanging vine after preaching at Nineveh. Embittered at God’s refusal to destroy the city, Jonah withdrew from Nineveh. A diminutive Noah in the Ark with the dove occupies the space to the left of Jonah’s feet.

Additional Jewish and Christian depictions in the upper panel of the sarcophagus include the resurrection of Lazarus (far left) and Moses striking the rock and bringing forth water in the wilderness (to the right of the sail).