Ghent Database of Roman Guilds

The prominent location and size of this altar strongly suggest it was set up by or on behalf of a collegium rather than by any individual carpenter. Colini and Schürman attributed it to the collegium fabrum tignuariorum. The latter suggests a “eine Untergruppe der fabri tignarii, die fabri intestinarii”. Bollman rejects this because the fabri tignuarii would not have made furniture. She instead suggests a separate collegium fabrum intestinariorum. The size of the clearly expensive monument and its location, however, rather point to the prestigious collegium fabrum tignuariorum. No independent collegium fabrum intestinariorum is on record. CIL 06, 09415a may attest to a possible collegium fabrum tignuariorum et intestinariorum but is late (4th century) and the reading of the text is disputed by Panciera 1981: 276, n. 26).

Monumental altar, with sides of c. 3.80 m (unknown height). The remains were found on the former Piazza Montanara, near the theater of Marcellus not far from San Omobono and near to where the schola of the fabri tignuarii was situated. Schürmann argues for a connection with the statue of Minerva that according to Procopius (BG 1.15,11) stood near the temple of Fortuna on the Forum Boarium.

 

The front cornice has a relief (0.41 m thick ; h. 0.58 m). At the corner the relief is only 0.54 m for a length of about 0.74 m above which a ornamental decoration was placed.  The relief depicts a carpenters’ workshop with Minerva watching next to the owner to the left. The left part is well preserved for 1.38 m (now in Centrale Montemartini, MC 2743). It appears to show the production of furniture. The central part (c. 2 m) is lost. The uttermost right part is preserved but very damaged. It appears to show two saws at the walls and two workers.