Roman, Imperial period, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A beautiful marble funerary stele in the shape of a temple, with an inset rectangular area containing a high relief figure of a standing man below a domed pediment. The man stands, facing forward, draped in a flowing himation and wearing a textured chiton. He holds a tall staff in one hand and a small object in the other - perhaps intended to be an offering and stands upon a bull - a symbol often referenced in the ancient world. The roof has a foliate decorated border; two columns rise to meet the domed ceiling. A line of Greek script adorns the base with small insertion tang for placement into a tomb. Size: 6.5" W x 10" H (16.5 cm x 25.4 cm)
Prior to the 2nd century, Romans cremated their dead; around that time, inspired by the Greek and Etruscan practice of using sarcophagi, they began to place their dead in sarcophagi. This trend spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire. In the western part of the Empire, which based on the leaf motif this panel probably came from, sarcophagi were placed inside a mausoleum against a wall or in a niche, so the only decorated panels were on the front and the short sides. This stele probably came from the grave of a high-status Roman citizen.
Provenance: ex Estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA acquired before 2000
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#159271
Condition
Intact and generally excellent with features a bit softened after 2000 years of burial.