The three reliefs which follow, two venatio compositions and an enigmatic cult scene, were found together, by chance, in a vegetable garden, ca. 145 m. W of PBr and ca. 130 m. E of the mausoleum of Claudia Antonia Sabina (No. 32.1 on Fig. 1; the findspot is ca. W430/S25) in the spring of 1975. Similarity of size, material, and style suggest that they came from the same monument. The surface accretions are the same, indicating that they were buried at the same time and place. According to the owner of the land they were lying side by side when found. Fallen debris was observed but no walls, thus there is no known evidence for the monument which they adorned. The subject is appropriate to the decoration of an amphitheater, but the small scale (W. 1 m. ±) accords more with that of an honorary or funerary monument, and the immediate area along the highway was occupied by tombs. The late style and crudeness of execution preclude association with the mausoleum of Claudia Antonia Sabina; they must have come from some later tomb or honorary monument. The figures resemble those on the arch of Constantine and the compositional organization in registers, with no background or ground lines, suggests a date of mid-3rd or early 4th C. A.D. The discussion of these three reliefs had been greatly helped by a special study by J.A. Scott. A detailed publication will be produced by the staff of the Archaeological Museum, Manisa. We wish to thank the Director, Kubilay Nayır, for his cooperation in making the reliefs available for study for this volume.

For monuments with venatio reliefs commemorating the services of Asiarchs and other persons who had paid for the games see Sardis VII, no. 162; for use on funerary vs. honorary monuments, cf. Robert, Gladiateurs, 42-43. For a funerary altar with animals in registers on either side, idem, Monuments des Gladiateurs, no. 321, pl. XVI:2-4. For the mausoleum of Claudia Antonia Sabina, cf. Sardis V, 4-5, figs. 1-2 and Cat. 243 (Fig. 422).

The rough-trimmed back is cut back on both sides as if it was fitted against a pier with projecting sides. A large rectangular dowel hole with a small pouring channel is at each side and an even larger rectangular cutting in the center just below the top (L. 0.075; D. 0.03; H. 0.04 and L. 0.012; D. 0.03; H. 0.07 respectively). Two rough, shallow cuttings appear on the plain band on the top front, also to hold the piece in place from above. There is a top and bottom band (H. ca. 0.06-0.07).

Standing within a rectangular base or altar is a tree with four nearly symmetrical branches and a spreading top. The tree is quite flat and has no other details. It projects ca. 0.025 m. Attached to the four branches, as it seems in three cases at the neck and in one case at mid-spine (lower r.), are four small nude figures with round heads. They differ slightly. The one at top r. has hair set off clearly. His legs are free of the tree and his hands seem to touch the r. arm of a standing figure. The legs are stretched out as if swimming. The figure suspended below has no distinct hair and is attached to the branch at a point just above the small of his back. His hands touch the knee of the same standing figure; his legs are bent. The upper l. suspended figure resembles that on the upper r., but both feet are stemmed against the branch, and his arms are stretched out with hands forward. The figure below, suspended from the shoulder blades, corresponds in posture with bent legs to that on the lower r. His hands seem to touch the object carried by two figures below, but this may be unintentional. Eyes seem indicated in the two l. figures; sex is not defined. The small figures do not look like strawmen or puppets.

The figure on the upper r. wears the gladiatorial tunic and apparently a rounded cap. His pose resembles that of the signaling bestiariion the two previous reliefs and Cat. 146 (Figs. 285-289), but his head is turned away from the cult scene to his l. His feet are overlapped by the head of the r. figure below who has ample hair and a straight long dress and is clearly a woman. Her head and body are seen full front. She holds in both hands a tray which the male figure on her l. is ready to receive with both hands. Her hairdo resembles Severan coiffure. A mappa hangs down from the end of the tray. The man on her l. has hair clearly set off and resembles the venatores on the two previous reliefs, but his apron-like cloth also resembles the limus of a victimarius (cf. Ryberg, State Religion, 20, pl. 6).

Approaching the tree from the lower l. with an indistinct rectangular tray-like offering is a figure clad in the same long dress as the woman on the r. It is not clear from the hair whether it is a male or female. One leg is in profile, the other in front view.

Next on the l. are two figures who carry an indistinct object. The one on the r. has an indication of hair; he wears a short tunic. He supports the object with a raised, bent l. arm. The one on the l. is taller and supports with his r. hand, his back toward the viewer. He seems to wear a helmet-like cap and a short belted tunic. His back and part of one leg are cut off by the edge of the slab. They seem to carry an animal with horns (stag?) or bristles (boar?) with its head turned back (to r.) on its body. The group resembles that of two hunters on the Piazza Armerina mosaics (Hanfmann, Roman Art 1964, 262, color pl. 24) carrying an animal slain during the hunt as an offering to Artemis.

In the upper l. corner are two musicians playing for the ceremony. They are very primitively sketched, but the l. one is playing Pan pipes and the r. the double flute. They wear knee-length, sack-like garments.

The trays, animal sacrifice, and musicians are usual traits of Roman sacrifices, but the children remain enigmatic. The chief cult observance clearly pertains to the tree. One recalls that on the Cybele shrine (Cat. 7 Fig. 45) there is one scene in which a tree seems to be protected by eagles. The scene must show a peculiar local ritual (for an example, cf. G. M. A. Hanfmann and M. S. Balmuth in AlkimAnadolu Arastirmalari, 268-269).

Same marble and accretion as Cat. 147 and Cat. 148 (Figs. 290-292).

Several light spots partially cleaned. Old break at lower r. New chips at upper l.