The Beth Shean Bust

myminifactory

The Roman marble double herm boasts two intricately carved heads, one of Bacchus and the other of Ariadne, each crafted from marmo lunense marble to perfection. The lips of both figures are parted wide, revealing rows of pearly white teeth. Their eyes sparkle with life as they gaze upwards, their tear ducts carefully drilled into place, irises skillfully incised, and pupils precisely carved in a crescentic shape. High cheekbones and straight noses add to the statues' striking features. Bacchus wears a fillet across his forehead, his hair styled in a rich garland of ivy leaves adorned with two clusters of berries. Vines and bunches of grapes cascade down behind his ears. In contrast, Ariadne's softer facial features and fuller face are offset by her wavy, centrally parted locks, which she wears with delicate ivy berries and leaves. Hailing from the Eastern Mediterranean, this stunning work of art dates back to the 1st century AD.