Funeral monuments and tombs lined some of the major roads leading to and from major settlements throughout the Roman Republic and Roman Empire, and their inscriptions are an important source of information for individuals, families and significant events, often otherwise unknown, or only partly known through written historical sources. A Roman sarcophagus could be an elaborately crafted art work, decorated with relief sculpture depicting a scene that was allegorical, mythological, or historical, or a scene from everyday life. Although funerals were primarily a concern of the family, which was of paramount importance in Roman society, those who lacked the support of an extended family usually belonged to guilds or "collegia" which provided funeral services for members.