Sculpture of a 'Cista Mystica'

Cista mystica ('mystic chest'). The 'mystic chest' holding sacred emblems is found in the worship of many deities, most often Dionysos/Bacchus. According to Blundell's 'Account', when he bought this piece it was joined to two feet (59.148.1010 and 59.148.1011), plausibly part of a statue of the god Aesculapius.