This architectural relief is beautifully chiseled and perfectly smoothed. The forms are simple but highly refined and rounded. The back of the relief is smoothed but has a few scattered dots. It was clearly to be set against a smooth surface, hence it was not a stele. It is the finest and technically most finished of all the Sardian reliefs.

The most plausible parallel for posture and proportions is the panther on a frieze of animals and satyrs from Xanthos. H. Metzger assigns this frieze to the decoration of the terrace for the temple-heroon G, which he dates ca. 460 B.C. He calls the animal a leopard. The posture might also suit a hunting dog or a war dog (cf. the terracotta friezes from Larisa and Sardis, Åkerström, Larisa II, pls. 19-25, 39), but the ample body suits a feline better, and a hunting scene would call for a very tall frieze. A low frieze as in Xanthos is more plausible. Although the marble compares with local samples, the style suggests a Cycladic work of ca. 500 B.C., and thus possibly imported.

Large crystalline marble, with blue vertical striations which suggest tiger (?) or leopard spotting on the animal. Whitmore: compares with Sardis MD quarry group A.

Fragment is broken on all sides. Preserved is the body from lower shoulders, part of hind legs below knees, and outline of tail (surface broken off). Empty background above body.