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LOT 0071A

Roman Marble Head of Serapis

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Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A wonderful head of the deity Serapis carved from yellow-white marble. A stern, piercing gaze is formed by the recessed ovoid eyes which reside beneath heavy, plateaued brows, with gaunt cheeks and a missing nose set above the tufts of his bushy beard. Most of the tall, rounded brow and both ears are hidden beneath his flowing coiffure, and the rounded profile of the base of a tall modius (kalathos) is visible atop the head. Serapis was the Graeco-Egyptian god of fertility and the afterlife who first appeared around the time of Alexander the Great. He is an amalgam deity who exhibits attributes of the Egyptian god Osorapis (himself a composite of Osiris and Apis) with the attributes of several Greek gods including Zeus, Hades, Helios, and Dionysus. A fascinating example of ancient religious belief! Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 5.125" W x 7.5" H (13 cm x 19 cm); 12.125" H (30.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Serapis increased in importance from the late Hellenistic through to the Roman period, and his image was disseminated throughout the ancient world of the Mediterranean. The cult of Serapis (Sarapis, Sarapa) rose to prominence during the Egyptian Ptolemaic period as a syncretic god promoted by Pharaoh Ptolemy I the monarchy to unite the Grecian and native Egyptian divisions in culture religion.

Serapis, the deity meant as a symbol of unification, was initially rejected by ancient Romans who did not typically respect the deities and belief systems of other ancient cultures. However, since deities in the Greek and Egyptian pantheons were revered by said Romans, Serapis was fervently adopted by large groups of Roman worshippers in favor of other overarching deities.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich, New York, USA 1970’s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#142452
Condition Report: Ancient loss to nose as well as modius atop head. Small chips and abrasions to face, beard, and peripheries, with softening to some finer details, and light encrustations within some recessed areas. Nice earthen deposits throughout. Drilled through the verso for mounting.

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Time, Location
20 Jun 2019
USA, Louisville, KY
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[ translate ]

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A wonderful head of the deity Serapis carved from yellow-white marble. A stern, piercing gaze is formed by the recessed ovoid eyes which reside beneath heavy, plateaued brows, with gaunt cheeks and a missing nose set above the tufts of his bushy beard. Most of the tall, rounded brow and both ears are hidden beneath his flowing coiffure, and the rounded profile of the base of a tall modius (kalathos) is visible atop the head. Serapis was the Graeco-Egyptian god of fertility and the afterlife who first appeared around the time of Alexander the Great. He is an amalgam deity who exhibits attributes of the Egyptian god Osorapis (himself a composite of Osiris and Apis) with the attributes of several Greek gods including Zeus, Hades, Helios, and Dionysus. A fascinating example of ancient religious belief! Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 5.125" W x 7.5" H (13 cm x 19 cm); 12.125" H (30.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Serapis increased in importance from the late Hellenistic through to the Roman period, and his image was disseminated throughout the ancient world of the Mediterranean. The cult of Serapis (Sarapis, Sarapa) rose to prominence during the Egyptian Ptolemaic period as a syncretic god promoted by Pharaoh Ptolemy I the monarchy to unite the Grecian and native Egyptian divisions in culture religion.

Serapis, the deity meant as a symbol of unification, was initially rejected by ancient Romans who did not typically respect the deities and belief systems of other ancient cultures. However, since deities in the Greek and Egyptian pantheons were revered by said Romans, Serapis was fervently adopted by large groups of Roman worshippers in favor of other overarching deities.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich, New York, USA 1970’s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#142452
Condition Report: Ancient loss to nose as well as modius atop head. Small chips and abrasions to face, beard, and peripheries, with softening to some finer details, and light encrustations within some recessed areas. Nice earthen deposits throughout. Drilled through the verso for mounting.

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Estimate
Unlock
Time, Location
20 Jun 2019
USA, Louisville, KY
Auction House
Unlock