Sculptures - Marble Seat of S. Gregory in the Church of S. Stefano Rotondo, with Shallow Carving, c. A.D. 590.

The marble is worked in low relief, with shallow, incised swirls that outline a simple ornamental motif. The carving technique, characteristic of late antique and early Byzantine stonework, prioritizes subtle depth over high relief, allowing the surface to retain a smooth, planar quality while still conveying decorative intent.

The fragment dates to approximately AD 590, placing it in the early Byzantine period of Rome. It was photographed between 1864 and 1879 as part of a large-scale documentation project overseen by John Henry Parker, which aimed to record the city's principal monuments and artifacts. The original photograph is now held in the Victoria and Albert Museum, which maintains a substantial collection of pre‑1870 images from this survey.

San Stefano Rotondo, a 5th‑century circular basilica, served as a significant ecclesiastical site throughout the early medieval era. The marble seat, as part of the church’s interior furnishings, illustrates the continuity of liturgical practice from antiquity into the Byzantine period, and its preservation offers insight into the material culture of early Christian Rome.