A Roman Marble Sarcophagus Lid Fragment, 2nd half of the 3rd Century A.D.

carved in relief with a bust of the deceased looking to his right and holding a scroll in his left hand, and wearing a toga with contabulatio, the curtain hanging behind him held up by a satyr carrying a lagobolon, the fragmentary banquet scene at right with a man and part of another figure lying on a semi-circular couch, the food served on a table in front.

Australian art market, 1980s
Sotheby's, London, December 10th-11th, 1992, no. 413, illus. (shown before cleaning and restoration and mounted on an old variegated marble base)
Donati Arte Classica, Lugano
Cahn Auktionen AG, Basel, Auktion 3, September 19th, 2008, no. 253, illus.

Repaired from one large fragment and four smaller ones along top, surface cleaned with some reddish stains from incrustation, a rust stain on top edge above bust of the deceased perhaps from ancient attachment of lid to sarcophagus with metal clamp, scattered chips and abrasions, two holes drilled at either end on reverse, remains of bonding material on each end.
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For 3rd Century A.D. sarcophagus lids showing similar banquet scenes, including some that may be Christian, see R. Amedick, Die Sarkophage mit Darstellungen aus dem Menschenleben (Die Antiken Sarkophagreliefs, vol. 1, part 4), Berlin, 1991, pls. 26-36. Also see N. Himmelmann, Typologische Untersuchungen an römischen Sarkophagreliefs des 3. u. 4. Jahrhunderts n.Chr., Mainz, 1973, pp. 24ff., 57-66, pls. 44-49.