Head of Augustus, Emperor of Rome ('The Meroë Head') by Roman

Head of Augustus, Emperor of Rome ('The Meroë Head') by Roman, circa 27-25 BC

© British Museum

Details

Category:

Classical/Mythological

Medium:

Bronze with alabaster, glass & coral inlay Dimensions: 47.7cm

Art Fund grant:

£1,050 ( Total: £1,050)

Acquired in:

1911

Vendor:

Liverpool University

To judge from the pose of the head and muscles of the neck, the complete statue was a standing figure, with the right arm raised, as if during allocution. The head is larger than life-size and is in rich green patina. It was excavated in 1910, from beneath the temple at the palace site of Meroe, near Kabushia in Sudan. The sculptor was possibly a Greek artist based in Alexandria.

Provenance

Found: December 1910, palace site at Meroe, near Kabushina in Sudan by Professor John Garstang.