CHILD'S SARCOPHAGUS A LENÒS, C3 CE. BRITISH MUSEUM This very small "tub-shaped" sarcophagus was acquired from the earls of Carlisle in 1996. Its lid is a fake, a pastiche with a modern bed (not really a kline despite its rounded raised back and sides) supporting a possibly Claudian sleeping Silenus based on a model from the C2 BCE. The sarcophagus features two main scenes framed by two pairs of lion heads holding heavy rings. On the front of the casket at the centre Bacchus is supported by a young follower, while a maenad runs ahead with a panther. On the back is a scene of three boys pressing grapes in a vat. At the ends are shown groups of centaurs and maenads playing horns, lyres and flutes, and Pan.

For #SarcophagusSaturday we're looking at a strange but coherent #pastiche in the #BritishMuseum in #London. This sad little C3 CE child's #sarcophagus with a #Dionysiac #thiasos and two lion heads has a modern lid, into which the C1 CE figure of a sleeping #Silenus has been set. #AncientBluesky 🏺