Ancient Art & Natural History: A Cabinet of Curiosities

Provenance:

Private Collection (M.B.), France, acquired prior to 1970.

Art Market, Cairo, 1970s.

Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Germany, Auktion 243, 14 December 2016, Lot 472.

Published:

G. Wagner, Quelques Steles de Kom Abu Bellou, Les Cahiers de Recherches de I'Institut de Papyrologie et d'Egyptologie de Lille 19, 1998, p. 151-158, no. 6 (with epitaph transcribed on pl. 30c).

This funerary stele is one of the three published by Wagner for Thaubarion, of Kom Abu Bellou. The translation of the Greek epitaph, based on the French publication, reads 'Thaubarion, daughter of Herakleides, deceased too soon (at the age of) 35 years, friend of humankind [implying she is pleasant, sociable and kind], who loved her father, who loved her husband, may you breathe easy [or may you rest peacefully]. Year 12, the 20th of Payni'. Thaubarion passed at the age of thirty-five and did not have any children with her husband prior to her premature death. Thus, to recompense the lack of heirs, three epithets were used for funerary purposes.