Funerary Stele with Two Lions and Circle Pattern within a Niche

Unknown

7th–8th century · Limestone; carved in relief · Islamic Art

Funerary stelae of Byzantine Egypt, often inscribed with names of the deceased, sometimes also include a prayer for the safe journey of souls to their final "rest in Christ." The following lines are from the Coptic Liturgy for the Dead: "And these, O Lord, and all those names we have recited . . . who have fallen asleep and have gone to their rest in the faith of Christ, vouchsafe to grant rest to all their souls in the bosom of the holy fathers. . . ." This stela, said to be from the Upper Nile delta town of Hermonthis (now Armant), bears the name of a prominent citizen who was buried near the marker.

Artist

Unknown

Date

7th–8th century

Medium

Limestone; carved in relief

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1910