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Monumentum

Aion from the gardens of Muti

The lion-headed marble from Muti's gardens has a serpent entwined in four coils around his body.
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The New Mithraeum
2 Jun 2021
Updated on May 2026

TNMM 296 ↔ CIMRM 551

White marble statuette (H. 0.79 Br. 0.20 base). Formerly in Muti’s gardens near the Villa Ludovisi, nowadays Lateran Mus., Inv. No. 318A.

On a hemisphere a figure with lion’s head; with each hand, which he presses tightly against his body, he grasps a key. The lower part of his body is covered by a loincloath, knotted on his stomach, and entwined in four coils of the serpent, which rests its head on the god’s (Aion). The wings are lacking.

References

Kircher, Oed. Aeg., III,504 and fig.; Raffei, Oss., 24ff probably describes the same monument, which according to him comes from the Casa Carpegna (Amelung); Zoega, Abh., 204 No.6; Winckelmann, Mon. Ant. Ined., III, 131; MMM II 214 No. 35 and fig. 41; Amelung, SkulPt. Vat., I (4), 94 No. 573 and Taf. 74; RRS III, 266, 8; Leipoldt, XVI and fig. 39. See fig. 157.

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