Et tu, Elvis?

I'm fascinated to read of the discovery of a bust of Elvis Presley - created 1,800 years before his birth!

The Roman Elvis is in fact a genuine marble acroterion - a kind of architectural ornament often found for decoration on the corners of a sarcophagus, a stone tomb or burial chamber.

It forms part of a collection owned by Melbourne-based Graham Geddes - one of the world's most foremost collectors - which is estimated to sell for more than £1m when it goes on sale in October.

Even the Geddes himself has nicknamed the astounding lookalike ‘Elvis’.

Antiquities specialist Georgiana Aitken added: 'It bears an uncanny likeness to Elvis Presley. It's the quiff that does it.

'You do get some weird and wacky things at the corners of sarcophagi.

'I don't know what purpose they served and the quiff was not a hairstyle of the day as far as I know.'

The 'Elvis’ sculpture is 2nd Century AD and is estimated to make £25,000 to £30,000.

A spokesman for Bonhams said: "It is perhaps the strangest item in the sale, certainly to modern eyes.

"Fans of the King of Rock 'n Roll, seeing this face from the distant past will be forgiven for thinking that their idol may well have lived a previous life in Rome!

"Looking at this face with its Elvis-like quiff, strong jaw and nose, one is inevitably led to the thought that the human face for all is diversity and subtlety has after all an ability to repeat itself."

Hmm.

Telling some of the ancient Roman Emperors that "they ain't nothin' but a hound dawg" might have been hazardous to the ancient Elvis' health . . . and blue suede shoes wouldn't have matched his toga. Perhaps that's why this sculpture is from a funeral sarcophagus?

(Plus, of course, "rock 'n roll" would never have worked in Rome - unless the rock was cobblestones on the Roman Road, and the Legions' supply wagons rolled over them!

Peter