A Marble Cinerary Urn inscribed to Hispane, Roman Imperial, 2nd half of the 2nd Century A.D.

of cylindrical form with strigillated decoration interrupted by figures of Eros and Psyche flanking a framed panel engraved with five lines of Greek inscription translating "Be of good fate, Hispane!," Eros leaning on his downturned torch and holding poppies in the guise of Hypnos, Psyche standing with legs crossed and wearing a himation, the strigillated domed lid with knobbed terminal.

Wright S. Ludington, Santa Barbara, acquired in the mid 20th Century
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, inv. no. 1993.1.182 (Sotheby's, New York, December 8th, 2000, no. 244, illus.)
New York private collection, 2001

Urn and lid repaired from several large fragments with some minor losses filled along joins. 2000 auction catalogue photo shows missing wedge cuting across top left corner of inscribed panel: this area was very professionally restored. Right arm of Eros restored, head of Psyche reattached. Ends of wings on both Eros and Psyche are chipped. Lid weathered, and chipped along perimeter, with several holes for iron clamps matching holes on urn itself.
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.
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For related examples see F. Sinn, Stadtrömische Marmorurnen, Mainz am Rhein, 1987, pls. 91 and 95. The present urn appears to be the only recorded example of a cinerary urn of any shape featuring both Eros and Psyche. The iconography becomes more common on strigillated sarcophagi of the 3rd Century A.D.

The imperative eumoirei (which could also be translated as "May your lot be good") seems to have been used most frequently in Jewish and Christian inscriptions. The cognomen Ispane, or Hispane, is a rare female name, to our knowledge attested only in a Roman Imperial inscription from Thasos (Comptes-rendus de l'Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres, 1973, pp. 490ff.; Bulletin de correspondance hellénique, vol 97, 1973, p. 587, s.v. 137; Lexicon of Greek Personal Names, vol. I, no. VI-37279). In order to read the name (H)ispane on the present urn one must assume that the last iota in the third line of inscription was used twice (a case of haplography): once for the imperative ending of the verb, and a second time for the first letter of the name of the deceased.