ADELFIA. - In the catacomb of S. Giovanni at Siracusa, a splendid sarcophagus was discovered which, in a panel of its lid, bears the inscription (h)ic Adelfia clarissima f(emina) posita compar Baleri comitis (“here lies A., most illustrious woman, wife of Count Valerio”). The sarcophagus is the finest work of early Christian art surviving in Sicily, entirely adorned with admirably preserved bas-reliefs (despite this, Cavallari had great difficulty in saving it from a complete restoration). In the centre of the chest, two spouses are represented within a shell, apparently Valerio and A. Of great interest, on the left side of the lid, are two enigmatic scenes that have been much discussed.
The sarcophagus appears to come from a Roman workshop and should be dated to about the middle of the 4th century; the lid certainly does not belong to it and must be somewhat later. Around the first half of the 6th century, both were reused for the burial of A.
p. 353; R. Garrucci, Storia dell'arte cristiana, V. Prato 1879, p. 94 and pl. 365; G. Führer, Forschungen zur Sicilia Satterranea, Monaco 1897, pp. 20 and 131; Wilpert, Sarcofagi, I, p. 102 and II, p. 350, pl. 92.