Merovingian Sarcophagi in Poitiers

The Society of Antiquarians of the West and the City of Poitiers considered that the Baptistry of Saint John was an appropriate place to keep their collection of Merovingian sarcophagi and the State agreed. In 1838 the Baptistry became the Museum of Antiquities of the West and was opened to the public. 

Most of the sarcophagi were added to the collection in 1885, and come from Vienne and Deux-Sèvres, dating from the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries. The intention had originally been that they should go to the Museum of French Monuments in Paris, but the transfer never happened.

So the little Baptistry is blessed with a rich and extensive collection of Merovingian sarcophagi. Many of them are decorated with the three barred cross in the Poitevin style. Scholars are still debating what this symbol means. Does it stand for the Trinity, or is it purely decorative? A few rarer pieces have zoomorphic or anthropomorphic decorations, with birds and people visible on some examples. There are lots of heavily worked geometric patterns, vegetative designs and rosettes ornamenting the sarcophagi covers.

The sarcophagi are made from local stone, and usually trapezoidal in shape. Any that are rectangular are reused ancient coffins. Perhaps the most unusual piece is the double sarcophagi found at Saint Pierre des Eglises, decorated with cushions cut into the stone. 

Further Reading: My blog post on  The Merovingian Necropolis at Civaux.

Simon's blog post on  The Baptistère de Saint-Jean, Poitiers.