Fragment of a Relief of Two Women at a Fountain, from a Funerary Building

On this fragment of sculpture, two women flank a waterspout in the form of a lion's head. Such spouts frequently capped the ends of water pipes in public fountains in the Greek world. The woman on the left carried an object on the top of her head, probably a water jar, as indicated by the remains of a bronze pin. 

Made in the Greek colony of Tarentum in South Italy from local limestone, this relief probably decorated a small funerary building. Unlike most reliefs, however, the back of this sculpture was carefully smoothed, implying that it was visible. This piece, therefore, may have served as an akroterion, or decorative element made for a roof.