A Roman Marble Strigillated Dionysiac Sarcophagus, 3rd Century A.D.

the central panel carved in relief with a standing figure of Dionysos holding a filleted thyrsos and a drinking cup and wearing a himation falling from his left shoulder, a crouching panther at his feet with its head raised to the cup, and a long-haired satyr with lagobolon, the left panel carved with a dancing maenad holding a musical instrument, the right panel with a satyr holding a lagobolon and wearing an animal skin, each short end engraved with a seated griffin, the back of the sarcophagus carved flat along the bottom and engraved in the lower left corner with three lines of Greek letters: epsilon iota/kappa gamma (both letters reversed)/alpha.

Charles T. Barney (1851-1907), New York, most likely acquired from Stanford White
Mortimer L. Schiff (1877-1931), New York (Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, April 8th, 1939, no. 176 [part])
French & Co., New York, inv. no. 41843, acquired at the above sale
North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, North Carolina, inv. no. 61.1.1, acquired from the above in 1961 (Christie's East, New York, June 19th, 1985, no. 208, illus.)
acquired by the present owner at the above sale

Note shallow chip to proper left inside leg of satyr on right edge, genitalia of both Dionysos and satyr on right edge were deliberately removed and areas smoothed over, some of the details on the figures might have been recut, four evenly-spaced arched holes were made at the base of the sarcophagus in front, probably to turn it into a fountain, and later restored with marble plugs (the one at far right is loose); on one short side three circular holes have been plugged with lead(?) and two quadrangular channels on the rim restored in marble, one the other short side two circular holes have been plugged with lead(?); surface slightly worn overall.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For this type of sarcophagus see F. Matz, Die dionysischen Sarkophagen, Teil 4, Berlin, 1975 (ASR IV 4), pp. 471ff., nos 282-313, especially the few examples in which the god is accompanied by a single figure standing to his right (nos. 306-311).

For another example of Greek letters carved in a seemingly random arrangement on the smoothed back of a sarcophagus see Louvre, inv. no. Ma 1346, from Saint Médard-d'Eyrans (F. Baratte and C. Metzger, Musée du Louvre, Sarcophages en pierre d'époques romaine et paléochrétienne, Paris, 1985, no. 67, line drawing on p. 141).

What appears to be an inventory number, 11160, is painted twice in red on one of the short sides, as well as the sequence of letters VEOO/VCOO, the latter possibly a dealer's price code.