When looking at the History of this artwork, how do you discuss its Scholarly Debate's Attribution?
Attribution One aspect of the sarcophagus's history that remains widely debated is which ancient Mediterranean culture may have created it. According to Schefold, six Ionian sculptors' hands have been distinguished, working in an Attic idiom. Stewart concurs with Schefold, claiming that the unification of the varying stylistic elements is associated with Attic sculpture. However, according to archaeologist Margaret C. Miller, the sarcophagus was produced probably by a Rhodian workshop, in this case working at Sidon. It is helpful to note here, that Sidon was a Phoenician city-state, which has led other scholars like Caroline Houser to argue its stylistic origins being rooted in Phoenicia. It has been argued that the majority of the sculptural detailing can be attributed to ancient Greek styles, drawing back to the capture of this Near Eastern city by the ancient Greeks. Due to the cross-cultural influences in Greek art at the time, however, there are conflicting attributes within the sarcophagus itself. For example, the lions found on the corners of the roof have specifically Asian attributes. There are also several mythologized creatures, such as "three ram horns growing on feline heads" that would have been entirely foreign to the fauna of the ancient Hellenistic world.
Ionian ancient Mediterranean fauna Hellenistic lion Rhodian Phoenicia sarcophagus Sidon Attic Near East Margaret C. Miller