The document summarizes depictions of Mary and other women at the Raising of Lazarus scene from the Gospel of John found on early sarcophagi from the 3rd-4th centuries. The earliest known depiction from around 280 CE on the "Jonas sarcophagus" shows Mary falling at Jesus' feet with two other women standing behind her, distinguished by their longer skirts from the men. However, by the 4th century depictions, two of the women disappear and Mary is shown with a head covering and shrinking in size. The gender balance seen in the earliest depiction with three women and three men is not seen again after the 3rd century.

1. Mary and the Women
at the Raising of Lazarus

2. The Raising of Lazarus, John 11:1-45
Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was
and saw him, fell at his feet.
- John 11:32a (RSV)

3. The “Jonas sarcophagus” in the Vatican Museum,
dated around 280, has the earliest scene
of the Raising of Lazarus with Mary there.

4. Jesus, in the center, points at Lazarus, who is
wrapped in a shroud in the doorway of his tomb.

5. The gospel of John says Mary fell at his feet.

6. Another woman stands behind Mary.
Both of their heads were lost and reconstructed . . .

7. . . . but an onsite inspection shows the sculptor
carved both with longer skirts than the men.

8. Before Constantine, women were often depicted
without head coverings.

9. A third woman, today armless, has a head covering.

10. Her head covering, clothing, and bent-knee posture suggest
her lost arms may have been outspread like this woman.

11. Behind Jesus stands another man.

12. The sculptor depicted three men and three women.

13. The sculptor depicted three men and three women.

14. The sculptor depicted three men and three women.

15. A remarkable gospel scene with gender balance.

16. This sarcophagus is dated late third century.
Very few third-century sarcophagi exist.
After Constantine, on fourth-century sarcophagi,
two of the women disappear from the scene.

17. On a fourth-century sarcophagus, we see only Mary.

18. She always has a head covering.

19. And, she seems to shrink.

26. What was happening to Mary?

27. Interestingly, in this scene we
later see “Mary and Martha,”
with the second woman again
standing behind Mary.
The oldest scene, however,
with three women and three
men, is never seen again.
Late 7th
or early 8th
-century
Grado ivory, British Museum

29. Art as Text
By Ally Kateusz
In honor of Elizabeth Schrader