Inscription - 'Marli, daughter of Elahbel, son of Maki (between the heads). Marion, son of Elahbel (to the right of right-hand head)'

Limestone bust from a Palmyrene funerary relief; carved; two women, veiled and wearing robes, each raising the outside hand to the veil's edge by the neck and with one other hand folded across body; one has a double chain with a lunate pendant and an oval palte on a chain; inscription; 4 ll; hands folded across bodies are incomplete and badly chipped; face of right figure badly worn and incomplete.

These stone faces, representing Roman Syrians, who lived between about AD 50-270, come from tombs outside the city of Palmyra. Their fashions are Syrian but they are shown in realistic Roman style.

There were three types of tombs, all built for wealthy citizens: single-storey house tombs, tomb towers of several storeys and underground rock-hewn tombs.

Inside, each tomb contained rows of compartments set into the walls to hold the remains of the dead. Each was sealed with a plaque bearing a stone portrait of the dead person accompanied by a brief inscription.