Sarcophagus of the Muses

"According to a belief attested in Greece as early as the fourth century BCE, the practice of literature and the arts under the inspiration of the Muses eased the passage of the dead into the hereafter and ensured the salvation of their souls."
"The sarcophagus was recovered thanks to the action of the Guardia di Finanza, which foiled a clandestine operation in 2008 to excavate the tomb and steal the sarcophagus, which was undoubtedly intended for the illegal antiquities trade. A precious artefact that, instead of ending up in the hands of an unscrupulous collector, now belongs to the entire community: it is on display in the Ostiense Museum, Room IX."
"The Sarcophagus of the Muses from the Necropolis of the Isola Sacra is an extraordinary marble sarcophagus from the late 2nd century AD, decorated with the nine Muses accompanied by Apollo and the presence of Athena. Athena is indeed the central figure, placed under the cartouche on the lid, and divides the series of Muses into two: Polyhymnia, Clio, Thersicore, Thalia, Urania and then Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene and Calliope.
The god Apollo, on the other hand, is depicted in a frontal position, dressed in a cloak that covers only his legs, leaving his torso uncovered; he keeps his legs crossed and leans with his left arm on his zither; his head is adorned with a laurel wreath, a symbol of immortality and victory. At his feet is the raven, a talking animal sacred to him.