1. Symbols found in Christian Art & Sculpture Before Christianity was legalized in 313 A.D., visual symbols served to identify Christians

2. Catacomb of Priscilla This was a two level catacomb named after Pricilla of the Acilii, a senatorial family whose name appears in an inscription

3. Catacombs of Pricilla Virgin & Child

4. Catacomb of Priscilla This depicts the deceased person with their arms raised in an attitude of prayer

5. This painting depicts three Hebrews in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3, 19-26)

6. Is considered the oldest cemetery of the Christian community of Rome This burial area belonged to a family named Cecili but named after the deacon who was appointed head of the cemetery It is estimated that nine (9) third century popes were buried here

7. Catacomb of Domitilla, niece of Flavius Clemens a Roman consul This fresco depicts Jesus Christ beardless in the role of teacher and surrounded by apostles Two apostles are missing in this fresco destroyed during excavation

9. Christian artists inherited the Jewish custom of prohibiting “graven images” As a result there are few freestanding sculptures produced between 2 nd and 11 th centuries The Good Shepherd is one of the few examples of sculpture created in the 4 th century The marble sculpture has Greco-Roman influences

10. Sarcophagus depicts scenes of the life of Jesus and the Christian bible Scenes include, Adam & Eve, the capture of Christ, Christ before Pilate, Daniel in the Lions Den

11. Sarcophagus depicts in the center a beardless Jesus with a jeweled cross in his right hand. Saint Peter and Paul are to the side with other apostles

12. At the center is a cross with a monogram of Christ and the crown of victory To the right, Christ before Pilate To the left, the coronation with a laurel not with thorns

13. This is an ivory book cover used for religious manuscripts that were hand painted

14. Dura – Europos

15. Dura-Europos Dura-Europos was a Roman frontier town on the Euphrates present day Syria The art of Dura-Europos demonstrates both Eastern and Roman styles Excavation reveals temples to Greek and Roman gods, a Jewish Synagogue, and a Christian church Religions managed to coexist

16. These wall paintings depict scenes from the Christian Bible

17. These wall paintings depict scenes from the Jewish Torah

18. Early Christian Architecture In the west, the Early Christian church building was modeled on the Roman basilica Christian basilicas included the following features: an ambulatory – covered walkway, a narthex – a passage between the outer door and the interior of the basilica, a nave – colonnaded central hall, gallery – upper wall of the nave decorated with mosaics or frescoes, the transept, and the apse It was a place of worship as well as a burial ground for Christian martyrs

19. Lay out of the Old Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome

20. This is an example of a gallery, the upper wall of the nave which was usually decorated with frescoes or mosaics

21. This is a 17 th century sketch of the interior of St. Paul’s Basilica This basilica has been heavily restored throughout the centuries however the outside walls offer some idea of the early church’s interior