Architectural Fragment In Marble - Italy, 16th Century

16th-century architectural fragment in marble. Italy.
This fragment features, in its central part, a circle with an engraving in the shape of a six-petaled flower, an ancient solar symbol used since antiquity for both ornamental and apotropaic purposes; it was often called the Flower of Life. On either side of the circle are two cherubs; the one on the right retains its face with curly hair and distinct facial features, while the one on the left appears headless. These two figures frame the central medallion containing the flower.  The object features two clearly visible holes, one in the center of the flower and the other slightly lower, suggesting that this fragment may originally have been part of a sundial, or part of the decorative mask of a much more complex wall fountain. 

Dimensions: height 26 cm, width 21 cm, depth 5 cm