Funerary portrait of a woman from Palmyra

Palmyra in Syria (biblical Tadmor) was one of the focal points of the far eastern Roman trade routes. The oasis first grew into a large city, before, in the mid-3rd century AD, briefly becoming an empire. The shape of this Palmyrene tombstone – a bust set in a circular frame – is a frequent motif in Graeco-Roman art, while the turban decorating the woman’s head is typical of eastern cultures. She wears a chiton and a mantle pulled over her head: this is the characteristic representation of a chaste woman in Graeco-Roman culture. Her jewellery is a sign of her wealth. An old photograph made it possible to reconstruct the fragment of the Aramaic inscription engraved next to the portrait: BRT (‘the daughter of someone’). The stele is typical of Palmyrene art.

Material analyses have shown that the relief was made of Palmyrene limestone.