A Roman Marble Double Cinerary Urn of Flavia Zoe and her Family

Circa 150 A.D.

Length 27 1/2 inches (70 cm).

Provenance:

Charles, the 8th Lord Kinnaird, and his son George, the 9th Lord, Perthshire, Scotland, Rossie Priory, acquired in Rome 1820-1825.

Mr. A. Alonso, Salamanca, Spain, acquired in the 1960s-1980s.

ArtAncient, London, acquired from the above.

Acquired by the present owner from the above, 9 January 2017.

[accompanied with copy of a Spanish export license, no. 2015/01345]

Published:

A. Michaelis, Ancient Marbles in Great Britain, Cambridge, 1882, p. 655, no. 101.

The well-preserved inscription on this cinerary urn, reads "Dis Manibus | Flaviae Zoe | Nucerinus coniugi | karissimae bene merenti | item sibi et | Pomponiae Thallusae" on the right panel; the left panel, reads "et P Betilieno | Cureti Carpo et | Primigenio." The translation of both, reads "To the Spirits of the Dead, Nucerinus [made this monument] for Flavia Zoe, dearest [and] well-deserving wife, likewise for himself and for Pomponia Thallusa / and for P[ublius] Betilienus Curetius Carpus and Primigenius.” For a comparative example of a cinerary urn inscribed to Julia Prisca, see the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome (Inv. no. 297204).

Inspected under UV light and 10x loupe. The dividing wall, lid, back wall, and most of sides are now lost with some remnants left of the wall; the head of the bird, perhaps swan, is also lost. Overall weathered surface from antiquity with erosion heavier in the front. Scattered patina, soil deposits, and pitting throughout the marble. The carved inscription is well preserved. Overall in fine, stable, and attractive condition.

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Jacob Coley

Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Antiquities and Ancient Art

[email protected]312 280 1212

Mr. Coley joined the Antiquities department in 2021 after working as Managing Director in the Ancient Art department at Colnaghi, the world’s oldest commercial art gallery, where he helped to establish the Ancient Art department and launched Colnaghi New York in 2017. Prior to Colnaghi, Mr. Coley was in the Greek and Roman Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Coley holds a B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.A. in Art Market from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and he earned an art-appraisal certificate from New York University.

Ancient Art & Natural History: A Cabinet of Curiosities

A Roman Marble Double Cinerary Urn of Flavia Zoe and her Family

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