Not only large-scale sculpture with its statues and busts of gods increasingly shows the influence of syncretic representations in Roman art from the 1st century BC onwards. There are also numerous examples of the adoption of Egyptian-influenced 'mixed gods' in small-scale and everyday art. Serapis in particular is one of these frequently depicted gods. Thus, the narrow ring on the oval plate shows the co-cast bust of Serapis. The chest is covered by the chiton, the mantle lies on the shoulder. On the head, which is adorned with curly hair and the divided chin beard, is a high pilos.
The bust reproduces the type of the Serapis bust from the Serapaeum of Alexandria (Vat. Mus., marble, Roman copy after Greek original of the 4th century BC). (AVS)
Former Collection August Kestner, Rome
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