Marble head of a Priest at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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This marble bust of a priest originates from Rome and was crafted in the Hadrianic period, A.D. 117-138. This powerful figure can be identified as a priest by his headdress, a rolled fillet with a prominent round diadem at its center. The way his toga is folded, with a thick band crossing his chest, reveals that he was a priest of the god Serapis. A seven-pointed star would have been painted on the round diadem. Serapis, a fusion of the two Egyptian deities Osiris and Apis, was merged with such Greek gods as Zeus, Hades, and Asclepius by the Greek-speaking Ptolemaic rulers in Alexandria during the Hellenistic period. During the Roman period, his cult spread throughout the Mediterranean world along with that of his consort, Isis. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, which aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.