Tomb of Annia Regilla, plan (recto) Arch of the Argentarii, ornamental details, elevation (verso) 1500 - 1560

This is an anonymous architectural drawing of the Tomb of Annia Regilla, capturing its layout in precise lines and measurements. But what stories do these lines whisper? The rectangular plan, punctuated by smaller alcoves, evokes notions of containment and preservation, mirroring the tomb's function to safeguard the deceased. The steps leading into the structure are not merely functional; they symbolize a transition, a journey from the world of the living to the realm of the dead, a motif we see echoed in countless cultures, from the pyramids of Egypt to the temples of Mesoamerica. Consider how the form of burial mounds evolved from simple heaps of earth to complex architectural statements. Each era infuses these structures with new cultural meanings, yet the underlying human preoccupation with mortality remains a constant thread, weaving through time and space. This architectural plan, therefore, is not just a representation of stone and mortar; it is a vessel carrying centuries of collective emotion and cultural memory.