Marble sarcophagus with the contest between the Muses and the Sirens

A long white marble relief shows a crowded row of draped female figures, some holding lyres and musical instruments, with a winged siren and reclining figures at the right end. The figures are carved in high relief against a plain ground, arranged in a lively, continuous procession across the front of the sarcophagus.

Look closer: A small bird perches among the figures near the lower center, part of the contest imagery.

Artist

Unknown

Date

3rd quarter of 3rd century CE

Medium

Marble, Pentelic

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

4000 × 1893 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1910