Relief of marble workers

From the Isola Sacra.
Date: late first century AD. W. 0.64, h. 0.42.

On the Isola Sacra a marble funerary relief was found of two workers holding a large saw. On the ground between them and on the right side are several objects, not all easy to identify. In the upper right part we see a sieve and a bag. In the central lower part are what seems to be an amphora sawn in half lengthwise, a ring and a small amphora. It has been suggested that we are looking at a marble workshop and that the saw was used for cutting marble.

Formerly in the Museo Ostiense, inv. nr. 138. Zimmer 1982, cat. nr. 58. Arachne 40717. Photo: Flickr, Dan Diffendale.