Origin: Alexandria, Egypt
Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD
Dimensions: 1.875" (4.8cm) high x 1.875" (4.8cm) wide
Collection: Egyptian
Style: Roman Period
Medium: Bronze
During the Roman period in Egypt, there was a tremendous amount of cultural exchange taking place between the long established Egyptian culture and that of their young, powerful conquerors, the Romans. At this point in history, the Egyptians and Romans clearly exchanged ideas about religious iconography and artistic conventions. Roman influence is clear in the addition of Romanized Egyptian deities such as Sarapis, who was a syncretized form of the Egyptian Osiris and Apis with the Greek Zeus and, subsequently, the Roman Jupiter. In all likelihood, this exquisitely detailed head represents either the god Sarapis, Jupiter, or the deified Roman hero Hercules. The face exhibits a serene yet powerful countenance. The curly hair and long curly beard of the god are executed with rich detail, which contrasts sharply with the Egyptian convention of rendering hair into highly stylized patterns. The thick beard is a traditional Greek and Roman artistic convention that signifies that the figure is a mature man who has passed the first flush of youth and passed into adulthood. This extraordinary representation of Roman divinity cannot fail to impress the viewer with its calm majesty. - (FZ.327)

Antiquities
Ancient Egyptian