• r2-152-10
    Top fragment of stele with standing woman, overview. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Top Fragment of Stele with Standing Woman

Date
3rd C. AD?, Roman
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
S68.003
Material
Marble, Stone
Object Type
Sculpture
Sculpture Type
Funerary Relief, Draped Woman
Site
Sardis
Sector
Syn
Trench
Syn FC 68
Locus
Syn FC Spolia
B-Grid Coordinates
E105.70 / N5.70 *96.05
Findspot
Syn Fc, reused in N-S drain wall.
Description

Steep triangular pediment has an incised line following edge of stele; base of triangle is a broken entablature. Within the triangle is an arch supported by impost blocks, which in turn rest on the base of the triangle, all with beveled sides. Within the arch is a standing frontal woman with tiny curls (circles in relief) around her head and a small veil (?) over her hair, but not hanging below the ears. Three incision marks on her r. side into background may indicate loose strands of hair. Eyes and nose are visible, mouth is chipped away. Her neck is short. A cape with converging parallel lines makes a V-neckline and a heavy garment marked by vertical parallel incisions falls to the feet, which project below it. Plain sleeves are worn to wrists. The hands are large for the body and the r. arm is longer than the l. Below her r. hand is an unidentifiable small object. The fingers are incised on l. hand.

The figure is simplified and stocky, the folds shown by incision. The work is highly provincial and therefore hard to date, but probably 3rd C. A.D.

Condition

White marble, much incrusted.

Only pediment preserved.

Dimensions
H. 0.235; W. 0.28; D. 0.05; H. of relief 0.008-0.012; H. of figure 0.142.
Comments
See Also
Bibliography
Author
NHR