Unnamed young man at The British Museum, London

myminifactory

Limestone busts from Palmyrene funerary reliefs; intricately carved in relief, featuring beardless men sporting togas; in their left hands, they hold rings on their index fingers; each is grasping a leaf resembling a fern or a feather; the emphasis lies on the flesh of their necks. These stone faces represent Roman Syrians who lived between approximately AD 50-270. They originated from tombs outside Palmyra's city limits. Their fashion sense is distinctly Syrian, yet they are depicted in a realistic Roman style. There were three types of tombs built for wealthy citizens: single-storey house tombs, multi-storey tomb towers, and underground rock-hewn tombs. Inside each tomb, rows of compartments set into the walls held the remains of the deceased. Each compartment was sealed with a plaque bearing a stone portrait of the dead person accompanied by a brief inscription.