How did sepulchral sculpture reappear in late Romanesque Europe?

During the latter part of the Romanesque period, sepulchral sculpture reappeared in Europe as a distinct artistic form. In this practice, a sculptured figure of the deceased was either molded or cut onto the top of a sarcophagus or onto a sepulchral slab set directly into the floor of an abbey or cloister.1

This development was part of a broader revival of monumental sculpture in Western Europe, which had experienced nearly 600 years of dormancy before re-emerging during the Romanesque era. While Romanesque sculpture is perhaps best known for the relief compositions found on church portals and capitals, the reintroduction of sepulchral figures provided a new way to commemorate the dead within the sacred spaces of monastic buildings.21