13. Fragment of an Entablature (KM 2424)

inv. no. 2424
Purchased by F. W. Kelsey in February 1901, at the Baths of Diocletian
max. h. 0.43 m; max. w. 0.35 m; max. d. 0.17 m
Pentelic marble
Broken irregularly along all sides and on back. Top and back fairly level. Preserved from fascia to sima. Carved surface chipped in lower right corner and on right end of fillet. Surface of cornice broken away. Some dentils chipped or broken off. Scattered traces of gray pozzolana.

The somewhat concave sima at the top of the piece bears the profile of a seated griffin in low relief. The creature's body faces right, with wings outstretched and head turned back toward the viewer's left. The raised left forepaw points toward a thymiaterium, now mostly missing. The tail wraps around that of a now-lost griffin whose body originally faced left. Beneath the sima are the broken remains of a projecting cornice, followed by a beaded astragal, an ovolo with broad pendant leaves, dentils with indented centers, another beaded astragal, a smaller ovolo with pendant leaves, and a fillet covered with broader pendant leaves. Below these is a frieze with opposed lion griffins, whose more distant forelegs are elevated toward a flaming thymiaterium. Only the forequarters remain of the griffin on the left. On the far left, behind the fully preserved griffin, are the remains of an upright element, perhaps another thymiaterium.

On the basis of their similar ornamental features, Koeppel reconstructs this fragment, a small fragment (KM 2427), and two Hartwig architectural pieces (MNR 310254 and 310255) as parts of an entablature that projected at undetermined intervals along the top of a wall. The Hartwig fragments preserve the upper portions of palm-tree supports against which rested male figures. According to Koeppel, KM 2427 was situated along the top of the wall. KM 2426, along with the two Hartwig fragments, comes from the projections. Parallels for individual elements of the unusual decorative forms of these pieces can be found in structures datable to the late Flavian and early Trajanic periods.

Bibliography

Catalogue entry by Elaine Gazda

Catalogue 12

Catalogue 14