Marble Funerary Stele of the Thracian Rider Daguzein

Culture: Roman

Period: 2nd-3rd century A.D.

Material: Marble

Dimensions: 66 cm x 59 cm

Price: Sold

Ref: 3574

Provenance: With art gallery Markus Proell, Brussels, Belgium, 1980s. There acquired by the German collection K. V. Last in a family estate.

Condition: Unrestored

Description: Large, almost square funerary stele of a Thracian rider named Daguzein. The deceased is proudly depicted with a waving cape on his horse, which trots to the right and places its fore hoof on an altar. His mourning wife is seated under a tree with a curling snake, and looking up at him. Next to her another, standing figure, possibly their daughter. Behind the rider a servant, clearly smaller depicted. He touches with his left hand the tail of the horse. The two-line inscription below the image area reads: “ΣΥΡΑ ΤΩ ΑΝΔΡΙ ΔΑΓΟΥZΕΙΝΗ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΗ / Σ ΜΝΗΜΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΠΠΟΝ ΡΟΔΑΝ”. The translation: “Syra (had this tomb built) in memoriam for her husband Daguzein and the mare Rodan”. According to the inscription Daguzein was buried together with his horse. See for the typus the steles of the heroic Thracian riders in the Archaeological Museum Sofia as well as in the museum in Florina in Greece. Mounted. Unrestored.