A Greek and Roman Treasury The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin V 42 No 1 Summer 1984

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Greek and
BY DIETRICH
Roman Treoasuy
VON BOTHMER
andRomanArt
of Greek
Chairman,
Department
THE METROPOLITAN
MUSEUM
OF ART
The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Volume XLII, Number 1 (ISSN 0026-1521)
Publishedquarterly? 1984 byThe MetropolitanMuseumof Art, Fifth
Avenueand 82nd Street, New York,N.Y. 10028. Second-classpostage
paid at New York,N.Y. and Additional Mailing Offices. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin is provided as a benefit to Museum
members and availableby subscription. Subscriptions $18.00 a year.
Single copies $4.75. Fourweeks'notice requiredfor changeof address.
Send addresschangesto MembershipDepartment,The
POSTMASTER:
MetropolitanMuseumof Art, Fifth Avenueat 82nd Street, New York,
N.Y. 10028. Backissuesavailableon microfilm,from UniversityMicrofilms, 313 N. First Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Volumes I-XXVIII
(1905-1942) availableas a clothbound reprintset or as individualyearly
Summer 1984
volumes from The Ayer Company,Publishers,Inc., 99 Main Street,
Salem, N.H. 03079, or from the Museum, Box 700, Middle Village,
N.Y. 11379. GeneralManagerof Publications:John P. O'Neill. Editor
in Chief of the Bulletin:Joan Holt. Associate Editor: JoannaEkman.
Photography of the Treasuryobjects by WalterJ. F. Yee, Chief Photographer, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Photograph Studio.
Design: Bruce Campbell.
On thecover:Scyllahurlinga rock, a parcel-giltemblema(no. 95). Inside
front cover:Detail of a swordsheath(no. 91). Insidebackcover:Detail of a
silverhandle (no. 130). Backcover:Parcel-giltpyxis (no. 101).

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Director's
Note
One of the privilegesof the directorof the Metropolitan

Museumis to enjoy,with a certaindegreeof impartiality,
the
whole of this institution'smagnificentcollections.I regard
them as makingup one immensetreasury.There aretimes,
however,whenit is impossibleto hold suchanunbiasedview
of the collections.The new installationof GreekandRoman
gold andsilverobjectscelebratedin thisBulletincausesme to
considerthe numberof enclaveswithin this "immensetreasury"thatthemselvesbringtogetherluxuriousobjectsmade
of the most preciousmaterialsand executedwith consummate craftsmanship.The splendidchurchtreasuriesin the
galleriesof the Departmentof MedievalArt and at The
Cloisters,with their refulgentenamelsand finelywrought
chalices,come to mind immediately.Equallyresplendentare
the gold andsilverobjectsof Pre-Columbiancivilizationsof
the Americasexhibitedin the MichaelC. RockefellerWing
and the eighteenth-centurysilverobjects from Franceand
England displayedin the galleriesof the Departmentof
EuropeanSculptureand DecorativeArts. In other collections in the Museum,importantconcentrationsof precious
materialshavebeen integratedinto their culturalcontexts;
these include the gold jewelry and paraphernaliaof the
Egyptianpharaohsand their queens, particularlythose of
Dynasty 18, exhibited in the Egyptian Galleriesand the
Achaemenidand Sasaniansilver vessels on displayin the
recentlycompletedinstallationof ancientNearEasternart.
For many visitors the Greek and Roman Treasurywill
providea firstcontactwith the wealthof the ancientclassical

world. It will proveto be a uniqueanddazzlingexperience:
on displayhere arenot only magnificentceremonialobjects
for offerings to the gods but also splendidutilitarianones
for the more mundane rituals of the banquet, the symposium,andthe toilette.
The foundationof our Greekand RomanTreasuryis the
metalworkacquiredthroughLuigiPalmadi Cesnolaasearly
as 1874. Since then this collectionhas grown throughgifts
by private individuals, including Walter C. Baker, and
throughpurchases,mainlythoseof the department'spresent
chairman,Dietrichvon Bothmer.An eloquenttestimonyto
Dr. von Bothmer'sacumenmaybe found in the qualityand
range of his acquisitionsand in the exceedinglygenerous
supporthe has elicitedfrom collectorsandother friendsof
the Departmentof Greekand RomanArt. The Greekand
RomanTreasury,representingthe glorious culminationof
years of gifts and purchases,is extraordinaryboth in the
aggregateand in its individualpieces, as CharlesFroom's
installationsuccessfullyrevealsand as the illustrationsand
textsin this publicationamplydemonstrate.
The realization of the Museum's most recent and
ambitioustreasuryinstallationwas madepossible through
the generosityof Gayfrydand SaulSteinbergand Reliance
GroupHoldings, Inc. Mr. Steinberg'sspecialand continuing interest in the Museum's permanent collections is
deeplyappreciated.
PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO
Director

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Greek
andRoman
Treasury
Of the five metals deemed precious today-gold, silver,

palladium,irridium,andplatinum-only the firsttwo, gold
and silver,have been esteemedsince remote antiquityand
enteredmost languagesin a varietyof expressions.Wespeak
of the GoldenAge, the GoldenLegendof the Saints(LegendaAurea),the golden mean, and the golden rule;there are
golden hours, golden weddings, and, of course, the gold
standard.Silver,less rarethangold, is consideredsecondto
it: the SilverAge, accordingto Hesiod, wasthe second,less
perfectage of the world. Silverin Latindenotesthe second
floweringof Latinliterature,anda silveranniversarystands
for twenty-five years, as opposed to fifty for a gold.
Together,gold and silversymbolizewealth,as in the motto
of the stateof Montana:Oroyplata.
Both metalsareverymalleableandtakeon a high polish.
Their ductilitywas not known or appreciatedin antiquity,
but in moderntimes this qualityhasmadethem industrially
valuable.Gold is found eitherin a purestateor in a natural
alloy,especiallywith silver(electrum);silveroccursmostly
in lead ore (galena)and has to be separatedfrom the lead
sulphideby smelting. Another differencelies in their appearance.Gold, even when hardenedby the admixtureof
other metals, does not tarnish,while silver in time turns
blackandis subjectto corrosion.
In antiquitygold was firstfound and used in Africaand
Arabia,laterin the land of the Scythians,and especiallyin
Asia Minor.In Greekmythologyreportsof regionsrichin
gold wereechoedin the storiesof Midas'sgoldentouchand
the golden fleece as well as in tales of the griffins and
Arimasps.Though Greece herselfwas not so fortunateas
her richerneighbors,gold must havefound its way to the
country very early,as is proved by the many findsof gold
objectsin Mycenaeand elsewhere.In Etruriagold did not
become widespreaduntil the seventhcenturyB.C.and was
probablyminedin northernItaly,whilethe wealthof Rome
in gold derivedincreasinglyfrommilitaryconquests.
Gold and silver representedwealth throughouthistoric
times.Coinageoriginatedin AsiaMinorin the middleof the
seventh century B.C., when the ancientcities on the west
coastofAnatoliainventeda systembasedon the distribution
of smalllumps of electrum,all of the same (or nearlythe
same)weight.Theselumpswerefurnishedwith an identifying punchmarkand used as a mediumof exchange,taking
the placeof the earliertradeby barter.The primitivepunch
marksweregraduallyreplacedby distinctivesymbolsof the
cities that issued these electrum"coins."Laterstill, in the
reignof King Croesusof Lydia(560-546 B.C.),Sardis,his
capitalcity,issuedcoins in gold and in silverratherthan in
electrum, with the ratio between the two metals set at
1:13.5. This innovation introduced bimetalism,which in
Trefoiloinochoe (no. 35)
Oppositepage:
varyingforms continued for centuriesuntil a little over a

hundredyearsago. While the monetaryvalue of gold and
silver and their parityhas changedfrequently,their prices
(andtheirsometimeswildfluctuations)arestilldetermining
economicfactors.
In thisBulletinovera hundredvasesandutensils-mostly
madeof silver-are illustratedanddescribed.Theyspantwo
anda halfmillenniaandrepresentthe holdingsof the Greek
andRomanDepartment,now exhibitedfor the firsttime in
a galleryadjacentto the GreatHall. In termsof collecting,
the choice of objects published here also illustratesthe
growth of the Department,in little more than a hundred
years,from the acquisitionby subscriptionof the Cesnola
collection of Cypriot antiquitiesin 1874 to the last purchasesof two yearsago. Geographically
the new exhibition
coversmost of the areasandperiodsin the careof the Greek
and RomanDepartment,from Cyprusin the southeastern
Mediterraneanto the Cycladesand other Greekislands,to
Ionia and beyondthe Greekmainland,and, in the West,to
ItalyandMagnaGraecia.Someof the objectshaverecorded
find spots, but manymore can only be ascribedto an area
and dated to a stylisticperiod. Not all periods are equally
well representedin the Museum,andthereis relativelylittle
gold. No modernmuseumcan pretendto give a fair cross
section of whatwas once visiblein the greatGreeksanctuariesof DelphiandOlympiaor evenin the templetreasuries
of the Acropolis at Athens. The very value of the metal
broughtwith it the seeds of its own destruction,or better
put, its conversion.In times of need gold andsilverobjects
weremelteddown to payfor the necessitiesof life or armaments, and a lost warinevitablyled to plunder-either the
legitimatebooty of the victor,who in Romantimes proudly
paradedit in a triumphalprocessionbeforeturningit over
to the state, or the privateloot of soldierson a rampage.
Looting could at times be avoided by burying treasures
beforean invasion,but the rightfulownercouldnot always
be sure of his own survival and thus of recovering his
propertyonce hostilities had ceased. Indirectly,however,
buriedobjectsstood a betterchanceof preservation,for if
discoveredby chancetwo thousandyearslaterthey were (at
least in most cases) not melted down but entered public
collections.Many of the hoardsof Romansilverfound in
Britain,France,Germany,and Switzerlandwithin the last
two centurieswerethussparedthe fateof the treasurefound
at Trierin 1628, which was promptlymelted down, or the
Wettingenfindof 1633, whichwas parceledout amongthe
Swisscantonsandhasdisappeared.
Most of our ancientplate is tableware-cups, pitchers,
bowls, ladles,and the like-and thereforeresemblesmuch
post-classicalgold andsilver.Also includedin ourcollection
5
the island of Euboea, found with a gold cup and a silver

phialethat areboth now in the BenakiMuseumin Athens.
The decorationon the two silverbowls and the gold cup is
purely linear-vertical lines, chevrons, and hatched triangles-and resemblesthe ornamentationof contemporary
pottery.A similar,though somewhatsmallersilverdish was
found in a tomb on Amorgos, and it is thought that these
metalbowls areCycladicandshouldbe datedbetween3000
and2300 B.C.Two gold cups (nos. 3, 4)-a kantharosanda
goblet-are Mycenaeanof about 1500 B.C. Considerably
later,of the eighth to the sixth centuryB.C., are the three
bowlsfromCyprus(nos. 9-11): one, in gold, betraysstrong
Egyptianinfluence;one in silver,with a centraltondo of a
winged divinity slaying a lion and two narrativezones,
representsa curious amalgamof Egyptianand Phoenician
motifs.
Bucchero(blackclay) bowl with headsin relief.Etruscan,sixth century
B.C. Rome, Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia
aremirrors,cosmeticboxes,anda comb,aswellasanincense
burnerthat need not havebeen a cult vessel,but was probablyused athome. Silverandgold dedicatedto the gods did
not differ appreciablyin form and workmanshipfrom the
table silveronly the richcould affordto haveat their sumptuous banquets.
Earliest among the silver vases from Greece in the
Museumaretwo shallowbowls (nos. 1, 2), reportedlyfrom
The earliestsilverphialemesomphalos(no. 12) is purely

Greek, of the sixth century B.C., though the shape and
schemeof decorationhadlong been traditionalin the Near
East. Another sixth-centurysilvervessel, a situla (no. 15),
wasmeantto be carriedby the swinginghandle,perhapsasa
cult object;it is saidto come fromthe Troad.
On pages 24 to 45 our archaicEast Greeksilveris introduced, an assemblyof over fiftyvasesandutensilsthathave
been acquiredpatientlyover the courseof fifteenyears.The
manydifferentobjectswereevidentlymadeby Ioniancraftsmen for rich clients on the eastern peripheryof Greece
at a time (beforethe Persianconquestof AsiaMinor) when
Greekcultureflourishedon both sides of the Aegean Sea,
andwhen Greekworkmanshipwas appreciatedas fareastas
Persepolis.Some of the objectsshow Eastern,even Persian,
Phialewith heads (no. 16)
Detail of silver-giltbowl (no. 10)

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tasteandPersianmotifswerefreelyborrowed.Others,however, notably the large silver oinochoai with sculptural

adjuncts(nos. 35-38), are purelyGreekin both shapeand
style. The two phialaiwith Persianheadsworkedseparately
andattachedto the walls (nos. 16, 17) shouldbe singledout
for specialcomment,for they correspondto a type ofphiale
until now known only from a temple inventoryon Delos.
Eachof the hollow headscontainsa quantityof tiny bronze
pellets that produce a rattling sound when the object is
moved. Persianconnectionsarealso evidenton a silver-gilt
phiale (no. 18) that portraysthe greatking marchingto the
left between each lobe and on another(no. 19), somewhat
smaller,that shows the Persianking killing a lion. Other
phialaiare ornamentedmore sparingly,but while we have
some pairsthatwereobviouslymeantassuch,thereis much
varietyin both shapeanddecoration.
The silveroinochoe (no. 35) with the handlein the shape
of a naked youth bending backward,his long hair falling
over the rim of the vase, follows a type known in bronze
from Cyprusin the East to Spain in the West.The youth
Silverbowl (no. 19)
holds the tails of two recumbentlions on the rim, while his

feet rest on a palmette flanked by two rams. A second
oinochoe (no. 36) employsa decorativeschemeknownalso
frombronzehydriai.The upperendof the handleterminates
in a lion's head, its mouth opened as if to permanently
replenishthe liquidinsidethe vase, on the analogyof water
spouts in fountainhousesor along the roofs of Greektemples.The finialatthe lowerend of the handletakesthe shape
of the head and forelegsof a panther.Two other wine jugs
(nos. 37, 38) havecarinatedbodies. The handlesterminate
above in animalheads that seem to bite into the lip of the
vase. One of the two carinatedjugs hasa frontalheadof Bes
as its lowerfinial.
Similarlyvariedarefour silveralabastra(nos. 45-48). In
each the body is divided into severalzones, which on the
8
Goddess with scepterand phiale. Red-figuredlekythos (oil container).

Attic, c. 470 B.C.FletcherFund, 1928 (28.57.11)
pp
This representationof a drinkingpartyincludesmanyof the objects in the Treasury.Drawingby LindsleyE Hall of red-figuredkylix (drinkingcup).
Attic, c. 490-480 B.C.Rogers Fund, 1920 (20.246)
finestof them (no. 45) areengravedwith animalsanda battle

scenethatrecallsthe styleof Clazomenianpaintedterracotta
sarcophagi.Engravedfiguraldecoration also occurs on a
silverskyphosof typicallyLydianshape (no. 49) and on a
smallsilverbowl fromCyprus(no. 13).
Among the eight EastGreeksilverladlesin the collection
(see nos. 59-64), againno two arealike.One of them (no.
59) is particularlysumptuous:the loop on top is formedby
two eagle-griffins,andthe facetedhandleterminatesbelow
in a winged lion thatseemsto dive into the bowl while two
sphinxes,sculpturedfullyin the round,watch.
Most of the EastGreeksilverobjectswereintendedto be
used for banquets,of which we havemanyrepresentations
on vases and reliefs.There are two strainers(nos. 66, 67)
throughwhichwinewaspouredinto drinkingcups;they are

in silverandtheirhandles,like those on some of the ladles,
aredecoratedwith animalheads,here a duckand a calf.Of
the other utensils used on such occasions, two incense
burnersshould be noted. One (no. 69, of bronze)is in the
shapeof a cup attachedto a long rod, its perforatedconical
coverhingedto the rod bymeansof a leapinganimalwith its
head turned back.This incense burnerfollows an ancient
Egyptiantradition:it washeld in a horizontalposition by a
servantor attendantwho would walk through the rooms
with it. The other incenseburner(no. 68), madeof silver,
wasno doubtset on a table.Its lid, likethe one in bronze,is
tiered and perforated,but insteadof being hinged it was
securedto the stand by a small chain. The cover is sur9
Detailof goldphiale(no. 86)

mounted by an exquisite statuette of a cock, the style of
which resembles that of the cocks engraved on the shoulder
of one of the silver alabastra (no. 45). Such a small incense
burner occurs, not by coincidence, on the fragment of a
black-figured hydria in Athens that was found at Clazomenae on the west coast of Asia Minor.
Libation scene. Red-figured stamnos (wine jar). Attic, c. 480

FletcherFund, 1956 (56.171.50)
10
B.C.
To the realm of cosmetics belongs a rectangular compartmented makeup box of silver (no. 70). One of the dividing
walls is notched to hold a special cosmetic spoon, and the
box's cover does not open on a hinge but swivels horizontally and is held locked by a movable stud. The heads of the
swivel and the locking stud are gilt, as are five additional
ornamental studs in the center and on the four corners.
When the box is closed properly, anyone unfamiliarwith the
locking mechanism would have a difficult time opening it.
Also from Eastern Greece, but almost two centuries later,
is a group of five vessels from Prusias, in Bithynia (nos.
72-76). The situla, or wine bucket, is of bronze, as befits a
vase that is carried back and forth from the kitchen or pantry
to the dining room. The other objects-a strainer, a ladle, a
kylix, and a phiale-are of silver. Prusias on Hypios, formerly called Kieros, was a Greek settlement in a notoriously
hostile country, and the Prusias find is indeed of Greek
workmanship, closely related to that on the many metal vases
found more recently in Northern Greece and Macedonia.
Slightly later and of unknown provenance is a group of five
silver objects (nos. 81-85)-a cup (kylix), a bottle, a pyxis, a
scraper (strigil), and a jar (that once had a handle and served
as a pitcher). The bottle, the pitcher, and the pyxis have
ornamental bands enhanced by gilding.
A gold libation bowl (no. 86), or phiale, is not only one of
the rarest but also one of the most beautiful objects in the
exhibition. The chief decoration is three circles of acorns and
a fourth of beechnuts, each containing thirty-three elements. In addition, thirty-three bees are depicted in the
interstices of the row of acorns nearest the edge of the bowl,
and the collar around the omphalos is decorated with fifteen
circumscribedpalmettes.Acorns as decorationon phialai

were traditional,as we learnnot only from inventoriesof
temple treasures,but also from a fragmentarygold phiale
now in Warsawthat was found on Cyprusin a late sixthcenturytomb andfromRomancopiesof the caryatidsof the
fifth-centuryErechtheumon the Acropolisin Athens.There
is nothing in the decoration on the gold phiale in the
Museumthat allowsus to date it precisely,but the Carthaginianinscriptionon the bottom is engravedwith characters
that epigraphersassignto the third centuryB.C. Since this
inscriptionmay havebeen addedlater,it only furnishesus
with a terminuspostquem non.
Two other richlydecoratedphialai(nos. 89, 90), said to

have been found together,were hammeredover the same
die. On each of them the broaderouter band shows the
apotheosisof Heraklesin a cortege of four chariots,while
the narrowinnerzone aroundthe omphalosshowsthe gods
feastingon Olympus.It had long been held that these two
phialai,of whichfragmentaryreplicasor adaptationsexistin
the BritishMuseum,weremadeof silver,butnot long ago an
examinationpromptedby our Italiancolleaguesrevealed
themto be madeof silveredtin. The spiritedhorsesdrawing
the chariotspoint to a datein the latefifth centuryB.C. that
seemsto be supportedby the allegationthatthe two phialai
were found togetherwith an Attic red-figuredcalyxkrater,
now at Oxford,by the Dinos Painter.
Somewhatlater than the silvered-tinphialaiis a bronze
mirror(no. 88) attachedto a wooden backandframedby a
cast silver-giltcircularband decoratedin openwork with
birds and floral rinceaux.The mirroris said to have been
found in Olbia,in South Russia,as is a silver-giltbowl (no.
87) that, like the mirror,is from the collection of Joseph
Chmielowski.This bowl, considerablylaterthanthe mirror,
illustrateshow the classicalGreekmotifs-here Erotesflying against a backgroundof acanthusleaves, scrolls, and
fan-shapedpalmettes-become increasinglydebasedat the
peripheryof the Hellenisticworld.
South Russian, too, is the decorated gold plate of a
Scythiansword sheath (no. 91), the companion piece to
which was found in Chertomlykbetween 1859 and 1863;
the two differ only in the treatmentof the animalsin the
triangulartop section. It haslong beenheldthatmuchof the
Pyxiswithconicalcover(no. 108)
"Scythian"gold and silverwas workedby Greekcraftsmen,

andthis assumptionhasnow been confirmedby the discovery of a gold quiverof "Scythian"
shapein the famoustomb
at Verginain Macedonia.
From the far Northeast we now turn to the West, to
MagnaGraecia.A tombdiscoveredin 1895 atMontefortino
(see nos. 110-114),nearAnconain centralItaly,includedin addition to iron spits and sword blades, bronze and
ceramicvessels-five silvervases:a two-handleddeep bowl,
a ladle,a pitcher,andtwo stemlesscups.The silvervasesare
clearlyof WestGreek,perhapsTarentine,workmanshipand
must havebeen looted somewhereelse in southernItalyby
Detail of sword sheath (no. 91)
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kylix;one ladle;one shallowphialedecoratedwith a twelvepointed gilt star aroundthe omphalos;one small pitcher
with a theatricalmask,not unlikethose on the buckets,in
high reliefbelow the handle;one tripod pyxiswith a decoratedlid; one smallportablealtarwith differentreceptacles
for various offerings; two horns, perhapsfrom a helmet
madeof bronzeandnow destroyed;and,lastly,the emblema
of a cup or pyxis lid decoratedin high reliefwith a frontal
Scylla.Severalfeaturesconnect this group stylisticallywith
famous Tarentine treasure, once the property of
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iEdmond
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which,in turn,sharessome of the stylisticconventionswith
a findmostlyofterracottavasesfromAlbania,one of which
closely resemblesthe two silverbuckets(nos. 105, 106) in
the Museum. Parallelsfor the polygonal markingson the
silverbowl (no. 97) canbe foundon clayvases
1hemispherical
X
CorinthandPergamon.
The sackingof Syracusein 211 B.c. and of Tarantotwo

laterled to large-scalelooting of the two most importantGreekcitiesin MagnaGraecia,but the booty carriedoff
to Rome atthe sametime openedthe eyesof the Romansto
pelike(storage
ApolloandArtemisperforminga libation.Red-figured
vessel).Attic,mid-fifthcenturyB.c. RogersFund,1906(06.1021.191)
the Gallicsoldierin whose tomb they were found. Another

group of earlyHellenisticsilverobjects (see nos. 107-109)
cameto light in anEtruscantomb at Bolsena,in Italy;it also
containeda finebronzemirrorandfivebronzevessels,three
iron candelabra,firerakesand tongs, andirons,six undecorated vases made of local clay,two Etruscanblack-glazed
vases,twelve smallterracottaballs (a set for a game), and a
gold ring. The bronzes, iron utensils, and terracottavases
are clearlyEtruscan,but the three silverobjects, a pyxis, a
perfumeamphoriskos,anda strigil,musthavebeen imports
(probably from Apulia), to which the Etruscan inscription
Skyphos(no. 116)
"suthina"("for the tomb") was added before they were

buried.
The floralornamentson the insides of the two stemless
cupsfromMontefortino (nos. 112,113)arenot too farfrom
the floraldetailson the amphoriskosandpyxisfromBolsena
(nos. 107, 108), which supports an attribution of both
groups to a workshop,or a workshoptradition,of Magna
Graecia.The same attribution,possibly more narrowlyto
Taranto,canbe madefor fifteensilverobjectsof greatsplendor acquired by the Museum in 1981 and 1982 (nos.
92-106): two silverbuckets,eachwith threesupportsin the
shapeof theatricalmasks;three deep bowls with separately
workedleaf-rosettesinsidein the center;one hemispherical
bowl with two engravedgilt wreathson the outside and
polygonal grooves on the body; one deep-bowled, stemless
12
Spoutedpitcher(no. 118)
the beautyof Greekart. Fromthen on greatwealthpoured

into Rome, not only from MagnaGraeciabut also, in the
secondcentury,fromAsiaMinor and Greeceand, afterthe
battleof Actium, from Egypt. The best descriptionof the
almostunbelievabledisplayof wealthat a Hellenisticcourt
in the third centuryB.C. is the accountby the writerKallixeinosof the greatprocessionorganizedby KingPtolemyII
Philadelphusin Alexandriain 271/270 B.c.: the weight of
the gold cups alone is given as three hundredtons. One
cannot help but wonder what happenedto all those treasures.Muchof the gold andsilvermusthavefoundits wayto
Rome.
The Museumowns partsof two late RomanRepublican
hoards.The more complete, of thirty pieces-a veritable
ministerium,as the Romans called a silver table service-is
divided between the Field Museumof NaturalHistory in

Chicago and the Metropolitan (see nos. 115-124). The
hoard,said to havebeen found nearTivoli, was bought by
EdouardWarneckin the late nineteenthcentury.After the
deathof Warneck'swidow the silverwas offered at auction
in Parisin 1905, in one lot; it wasboughtby a dealerwho the
nextyearsold partof it (a mug, a platter,six dishes,a shell,
andelevenspoons) to a Chicagocollector.Manyyearslater
the remainder(two cups, a spoutedpitcher,a ladle, and six
spoons) went to New York.The majorpiecesof this set, the
cups, the mug, the ladle, and the dishes,are engravedwith

the nameof the owner,a certainSattia,daughter(or wife) of
Lucius;the platterbearsthe nameof Roscia.The dish in the
shapeof a halfshellis also inscribed,but the namesareonly
partiallylegible.These inscribedvasesarealso markedwith
the weights,a practicenot uncommonin antiquity.The two
cups (nos. 116, 117) invite comparisonwith the similar,
though plainer,cup (no. 98) from the earlythird-century
hoard, and the ladle is still in the traditionof the fourthcenturyladle from Prusias(no. 72). The spouted pitcher
(no. 118), however,is a new shape and relativelyrare.Its
troughlike spout corresponds somewhat to the Roman
encyclopedistM. TerentiusVarro'sdescriptionof a trulla(or
truella),a diminutiveoftrua, the Latinword for gutter,and
this shapehasthereforeat times been calleda trulla.
The second Romanhoard,considerablysmallerthan the
Tivolione, is saidto havebeenfoundnearLakeTrasimenein
centralItaly.Thoughit too hasbeendispersed,the Museum
is fortunateto haveacquiredtwo pieces:a pairofstrigilson a
ring (no. 125) and a combinationcomb and pin (no. 126)
with engraveddecorationdepictinga lion hunt.
Roman silver of the Imperialperiod is less well representedin the Museum,for thereis nothingin New Yorkthat
can be comparedto the HildesheimTreasurein Berlin,the
BoscorealeSilverin the Louvre,the BerthouvilleTreasurein
13
the Cabinetdes Medailles,or the silverfrom the House of

Menander in Pompeii. The cast handles (nos. 130, 131)
of two very large dishes, however,of the second andthird
centuriesA.D., are eloquent illustrationsof excellentlater
Romansilverwork.The earlierof the two handlesshows, in
relief,a lion hunt in a mountainouslandscape.The second
handle is somewhatlater and the techniqueis differentin
that the higher parts of the reliefwere cast separatelyand
insertedor splicedinto cut-out depressions.Here the subject is the Indiantriumphof Bacchusin a chariotdrawnby
two lionesses.
The storyof GreekandRomansilverdoes not, of course,

end with the last pieces in this Bulletinor with the exhibition. Visitorsto the newlyopened gallerymaywell wish to
explorethe lateantiquegold andsilverin the parallelgallery
south of the greatstaircasethatis devotedto earlyChristian
art andcontainsthe fabulousCyprusplate,or the Egyptian
galleriesto the north thatexhibitmuchgold andsilverfrom
PtolemaicEgypt. On the second floor toward the south,
gold and silverplatefrom the ancientNear Eastwill round
out the splendidstory of ancienttoreutic art, of which the
GreekandRomanTreasuryis one of the finestchapters.
DIETRICH VON BOTHMER
Chairman
Departmentof
GreekandRomanArt
14
Greek
and
Roman
Treasury
The installationof the GreekandRomanTreasuryis

madepossiblethroughthe generosityof Gayfrydand
SaulSteinbergandRelianceGroupHoldings,Inc.
v-p
.
1,2. Pairof silverbowls. Saidto havebeenfoundtogetheron

Euboea.Cycladic,ca. 3000-2300 B.C.Left:height4.8 cm;diameterca. 19.6cm;weight439.2 grams.Bequestof WalterC. Baker,
1971(1972.118.152).Right:height5.8 cm;diameterca. 24.6 cm;
weight709.5 grams.Purchase,JosephPulitzerBequest,1946
(46.11.1)
Thesetwo shallowsilverbowlsmaybe termedforerunnersof the
libationbowlscalledphialaiin Greek.Metalvasesof the Cycladic
periodareveryrare,andit is not surprisingthatgold andsilver,
whicharesuchmalleablemetals,predominate.
The decorationon the shoulderof the somewhatsmallerdish
differsfromthaton the largerone by havingthreefieldsof vertical
lines(eleven,nine,andelevenrespectively)betweenthreewider
fieldsof chevrons.
The rimof the largerbowl flaresout andthe neckis vertical.The
decorationis limitedto the shoulder.Fouroblong fieldsof vertical
strokes(nineteenin eachfield,exceptfor one thathasonly eighteen) alternatewith fourothers,somewhatwider,thatarecomposedof fivetriangleseach.The trianglesarehatched.
Bibliography:GreekArtoftheAegeanIslands,1979, pp. 63-64 (with previous
references).
*-
-N-'
-1
w -I
t ,
3. Gold kantharos(drinkingcup).Saidto
be fromThebes.Greek,ca. 1500-1375 B.C.
Height to top of handles8.6 cm; heightto
rim7.2 cm; width 17.07cm;weight 71
grams.RogersFund, 1907 (07.286.126)
The body of the cupwasraisedfroma disk
of sheetgold; the two handleswith rolled
edgeswereworkedseparatelyandattached
with gold rivets.The handlesaredecorated
with leafpatterns.Therearethreeconcen-
triccirclesin slightreliefon the bottom.In

shapethiskantharosresemblesone found in
ShaftGraveIV of Mycenae,the so-called
Minyankantharos.The shapeoccursas
earlyas the MiddleHelladicperiodandre-
r.ait1,nerl
in rlir n 1U
In
.lllxillllll
naiilr Ul fLthLILLI
L jn uVuUlda
xidy
mrn1e!l
lllLdl1lUL frar
over a thousandyears.
CupsandAegean
Bibliography:E. Davis,The Vapheio
Goldand SilverWare,1977, pp. 324-25, no. 147, figs.
263-264.
4. Goldcup. Saidto havebeenfound at

Mycenae.Greek,ca. 1500 B.C.Height 5.5
cm;diameterca. 7.95 cm;weight27 grams.
Gift of WalterC. Baker,1961(61.71).Ex
coll. AlfredAndre
No exactparallelis knownfor this gold cup,
whichmusthavehada loop handlesimilar
to thoseon the morecommondrinking
cupsof gold andsilverfoundin the shaft
gravesof Mycenae.
CupsandAegean
Bibliography:E. Davis, The Vapheio
Goldand SilverWare,1977, pp. 326-27, no. 149, fig.
266.
17
5-8. Four silver vases from Cyprus. Purchasedby subscription, 1874-1876.

Ex coil. L. P.di Cesnola
5. Oinochoe(winejug).Cypriot,seventhcenturyB.C.Height 15.9
cm;diameter9.6 cm;weight271 grams.(74.51.4592)
The lip is trefoil,andthe handleis formedby two reeds.The neckis
set off fromthe body by a pronouncedwelt.
Bibliography:TheSwedishCyprusExpedition,4,2 (1948), p. 160, fig. 33, no. 14;
B. Shefton, Die "rhodischen"Bronzekannen,
1979, p. 58, note 120 (with previous
references).
6. Goblet.Cypriot,sixthcenturyB.C.Height 8.1 cm;diameterof

mouth 10.4 cm; weight 123 grams. (74.51.4566)
The wine cuphasa roundedbottomanda flaringrimandresembles

NearEasterngoblets.
Bibliography:J. L. Myres,Handbookf theCesnolaColection,1914, p. 466,
no. 4566.
,r
'e
7. Oinochoe. Cypriot, seventh century B.C.Height 17.8 cm; diameter 12.63 cm; weight 347 grams. (74.51.4586)
The form of Cypriot silver jugs, with a globular body, a flaring
mouth, and a drip ring on the neck, closely resembles that of the
pottery vases of Cypriot make. The edges of the cast handle are
decorated with a herringbone pattern.
9-11. Three bowls from Cyprus. Purchasedby subscription,

1874-1876.
Ex coll. L. P. di Cesnola
8. Skyphos (wine cup). Cypriot, sixth to fifth century B.C. Height

8.2 cm; diameter 13.26 cm; width 13.37 cm; weight 681 grams.
(74.51.4581)
The skyphos has an offset lip and was probably cast ratherthan raised.
9. Gold bowl, decorated in repousse. Cypriot, eighth century B.C.

Height 4.9 cm; diameter of rim 14.2 cm; weight 122.27 grams.
(74.51.4551)
The decoration is organized in concentric bands: around a small
central boss, thirty-six tongues; halfway up the bowl, a papyrus
thicket with seven swimming ducks; below the rim, another
papyrus thicket with bulls pursuing fallow deer across the marshes;
all have their legs in the water.
Bibliography:TheSwedishCyprusExpedition,4,2 (1948), p. 160, fig. 33, no. 12.
4 (1946), pp. 3,13 f., pl. 12.

Bibliography:E. Gjerstad,in OpusculaArchaeologica,
Bibliography:TheSwedishCyprusExpedition,4,2 (1948), p. 160, fig. 33, no. 13.
19
10. Silver-giltbowl. Cypriot,seventhcenturyB.C.Height 3.3 cm;diameter16.9 cm;

weight 155 grams.(74.51.4554)
The bowl belongsto a classcalledCyproPhoenicianandwithinit to the second
phase.In a medallionin the centera fourwingeddeityin Assyriangarbkillsa rampantlion with his sword.Behindhim hover
two Egyptianfalcons.The tondo is surroundedby a narrativezone in Egyptianizing style borderedby cablepatterns.A
kneelingarcheraimsat a lion thathasfelled
a hunterandis attackedby anotherhunter
poisinga spear.Next comesa grazinghorse
separatedby a treefromanotherlion that
hasthrownan Egyptianto the ground.
Afteranothertreecomesa seatedsphinx
and, againframedby trees,two confronted
bulls;two bullswalkingto the rightanda
cow andcalfconcludethe scene.This narrow zone formsthe predella,as it were,of
the chiefzone, whichis largerin scale.This
outerzone is dividedratherirregularlyby
conventionalized"sacredtrees,"flanked
once by an Egyptiangoddess,then by two
sphinxes,two goats,two griffins,andinterspersedwith the groupof an Egyptian
slayinga lion in a forest-an Assyriankilling a griffin,a pharaohclubbingthreecaptives in the presenceof a falcon-headedgod,
anda young Egyptianspearinga winged
monster.The outerborderis formedby
uprightpalmettes.The Egyptianhieroglyphson the panelsdo not makesense.
This curiousmixtureof Egyptianand
Mesopotamianmotifs is not atypicalof
Cypriotartof the archaicperiod,andwe
mayneverbe ableto put in focus the artistic
personalityresponsiblefor this amalgamof
formsandmotifs. Whatis veryclear,however,thanksto the perspicacityofT. B. Mitford, is the identityof the firstownerof
the bowl:Akestor,kingof Paphos,had
his nameinscribedbelow the rimin the
Cypriotsyllabary.At a latertime the bowl
changedhands,probablyafter498 B.C.
when Paphoswasplunderedby the Persians
andtheirCypriotallies,andthe new owner
added,againnearthe rim,but fartherto the
left: "I belongto Timukretes."
Bibliography:T. B. Mitford, in Universityof
London, Institute of ClassicalStudies,Bulletin10
(1963), pp. 27-30, pls. 4-7 (with previous
bibliography).
11. Silverbowl. Foundon Cyprus

(Kourion).Cypriot,earlysixthcenturyB.C.
Height 4.6 cm; diameter15.5 cm; weight
82 grams.(74.51.4552)
Unlikethe two previousCypriotbowls, this
one is not in repousseor in relief,but
merelyincised.An inscriptionin West
Cypriot(or Paphian)syllabaryidentifies
both the owner (Epiorwos)andthe name
of the shape(phiale).The decorationconsistsof a centralsixteen-petalledrosettefollowed by two bandsof whichthe lower
representsa papyrusthicketandthe upper
20
\,
,%A\.
0.1.
rLr I
a curiousgroupingof pairedheraldic
sphinxes,griffins,wingedcobras,falconheadeddivinities,andfalcons.In addition
thereareisolatedbirdsanda divinitywith
fourwings.The letteringis partof the
designandappearsin an areadeliberately
left emptyfor the inscriptionnextto a big
waterbird.The groupsareseparatedby palmettes,lotuses,a palmtree,andtwo deciduous treesaswell as by a highlystylized
"sacredtree."
The styleof the engravingis whathas
but the coexbeentermedCypro-Egyptian,
istenceof the manydifferentdetailsmakesit
clearthatthe engraverwasnot an Egyptian
but a localartist.
Bibliography:O. Masson, in BulletindeCorrespondanceHellnique, 104 (1950), pp. 225-31 (with previous bibliographyon the inscription);E. Gjerstad,
4 (1946), pp. 3,13 ff, pl.
in OpusculaArchaeologica,
14 (on the style).
12. Silver phiale mesomphalos. Greek (perhaps Rhodian), late seventh or early sixth
century B.C.Height 4.5 cm; diameter 22.07
cm; weight 422 grams. Classical Purchase
Fund, 1981 (1981.11.13)
This is the earliest of the Museum's traditional phialai with the pronounced
omphalos (navel) or central boss, the hollow
underside of which furnished a secure grip
for two fingers while the phiale was tilted to
pour a libation. The wall of the phiale is
decorated by twelve radiallyarrangedstylized lotus blossoms. The omphalos was covered by another layer that was equipped
with a brim or collar and was worked separately; this added member was gilt. The
boss has in its center a small raised disk from
which sixteen tongues or flutes descend
radiallyover the side. The brim or collar is
embossed with animals or monsters: two
sphinxes couchants are followed (clockwise)

by a bull facing a lion, a boar facing right, a
bird on a flower, and a panther facing left.
Between the animals, tendrils spring from
the ground line or are suspended from the
circular top border.
Not many Greek silver phialai mesomphaloi are known from this time-one in
Berlin, said to be from Asia Minor, and two
from Kameiros on Rhodes-but this is the
only early one that has animals in addition
to the floral ornaments, which help in the
dating of the object.
MuseumofArt
Bibliography:TheMetropolitan
Annual Report1980-1981,p. 37; idem,Notable
Acquisitions1980-1981, p. 11 (ill.).
21
13. Silverbowl. FromCyprus.Cypriot,
sixth century B.C.Height 5.5 cm; diameter '

10.3 cm; weight 82 grams. Purchased by
subscription, 1874-1876 (74.51.4562) Ex
coil. L. P. di Cesnola
On the offset lip thirteen birds are engraved
marching to the right. The body is decorated with forty-four tongues or ribs radiating from the depression on the bottom that^
forms the omphalos. Engraved decoration
occurs in the archaicperiod not only in Persian metalwork but also on East Greek silver
vases (compare nos. 45 and 49).
'..
Bibliography:A. Oliver,Jr.SilverfortheGods,Toledo,
..
"
..
"
"
- '
[
'
"
1977,p. 24, no. 1 (withpreviousreferences).
14. Silver bowl. Found in Sardis. Greek,

sixth century B.C.Height 5.6 cm; diameter
of mouth 11.44 cm; weight 147.3 grams.
Gift of The American Society for the Exploration of Sardis, 1926 (26.164.13)
The lip is sharply set off from the body of
the bowl, which is decorated on the shoulder by two grooves.
15. Silversitula(pail)with swinginghandle.

Saidto be fromthe Troad.Greek,sixthcentury B.C.Height, with bailupright,19.5
cm;heightto rim 13.3 cm;diameter14.3
cm;weight630 grams.Bequestof WalterC.
Baker,1971(1972.118.153)
The body of the situlais ribbed,andthe
shoulderis decoratedwith a bandof fortyeight smallrosettes.The swinginghandle
terminatesin smallanimalheads(perhaps
snakes).The vesselis equippedwith a small
ring base.No exactparallelsareknown,but
the shapeanddecorationbetraya strong
Achaemenianinfluence.
Bibliography:AncientArtfrom NewYorkPrivateCollections,1961, p. 12, no. 56, pl. 100.
22
'k
II
I c,
l*
iI
16,17. Pairof silverphialai.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Left:height6.3 cm;diameter

12.46 cm;weight232 grams.Purchase,
Mrs.CharlesS. PaysonGift, 1966
(66.11.21).Right:height6.3 cm; diameter
12.57 cm;weight243 grams.RogersFund,
1966 (66.11.22)
Eachhasa shallowomphalos,an offset lip,
andengravedtongueson the lowerpartof
the bowl (borderedaboveon no. 16 [left]
by a circleof puncheddots). Betweenthe lip
andthe tongues,encirclingthe bowl, are
attachedeighteenbeardedheadsthatare
hollow andsolderedonto the wallof the
bowl. Whensomeof the headsbecame
detached,it wasdiscoveredthatinsidewere
tiny bronzepelletsthatproducea rattling
soundwhenthe cup is liftedandmoved.
On the bowl of no. 16 an engravedbandof
rosettesoccursabovethe headsat the junction of lip andshoulder,andstylized
rosettesareengravedat the intersticesof
the heads.
The headshavea pronouncedOriental
castandconformto our associationof Persianfeatures.No othersuchphialaiare
knowntoday,but a "silverphialewith Persianheads"is mentionedin one of the
Deliantempleinventories.
Bibliography:M. Vickers,inJHS 90 (1970), p. 201;
D. von Bothmer,"LesTresorsde l'orfevreriede la
Gr&ceorientaleau MetropolitanMuseumde New
York,"in Academiedes Inscriptionset Belles-Lettres, ComptesRendus,1981, pp. 195, 196, fig. 1.
24
18. Silver-giltphiale.Greek,sixthcentury
B.C.Height 3.7 cm; diameter15.23 cm;
weight245.4 grams.Purchase,Rogers
Fund,AnonymousGift, andHalinaand
JohnKlejmanGift, 1968 (68.11.14)
The shapeof the phialeis of the so-called
Achaemeniantype-offset flaringlip, hollow omphalos-but the decorationis most
unusual.The ten projectinglobesor bosses
arenot workedin repousse(as,for example,
on nos. 28 and29) but areseparatelyhammeredandattachedto the wallof the bowl
in speciallypreparedgrooves.The plain
lobes resemblein contourandvolumethe
similarlyattachedPersianheadson nos. 16
and17.The intervalsbetweenthe lobesare
decoratedwith gilt a jourreliefsof the Persiankingwalkingto the left in fullregalia.
His feet areset on two eagleheadsplaced
backto backthatsurmounta
heraldically
drop-shapedringdecoratedwith an ivy leaf
below.
Bibliography:D. von Bothmer,"LesTresorsde
l'orfevreriede la Grce orientaleau Metropolitan
Museumde New York,"in Academiedes Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres,Comptes
Rendus,1981, pp.
195-96, fig. 2.
19. Silverbowl, with omphalos.Greek,

sixthcenturyB.C.Height 4.5 cm;diameter
10.56 cm; weight89 grams.RogersFund,
1975 (1975.11.4)
This smalldrinkingbowl is technically
relatedto the silver-giltphiale(no. 18) but
somewhatcruderandlesswellpreserved.
Sixhollow andshallowlobes alternatewith
six plaquesof the Persiankingkillinga lion.
The reliefzone is borderedaboveby a narrow bandof engravedhatchedtrianglesand
below by a similarbandof doublehatched
triangles.Halfwaybetweenthe lowerband
andthe depressionof the omphalosis a circularrow of punchedcirclesandon the
edge of the hollowof the omphalosa band
of incisedherringbones.
The two bowlswith appliquereliefs(nos.
18 and 19) maybe comparedto a phialein
the BritishMuseum(WAD135571)that
haseight smallplaquesof a rampantBesheadedwingedlion betweeneight lobes.
The latter,however,arenot addedbut in
repousse.
25
20-24. Five silver bowls.

20. Silverphiale.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.
271 grams.FletcherFund, 1968 (68.11.64)
Height 4.7 cm; diameter17.4-17.65 cm;
weight 302.3 grams.Purchase,Anonymous
Gift, 1970 (1970.11.16)
Whilenot an exactpair,thesetwo libation
bowls areobviouslycontemporaryandthe
workof the samesilversmith.Both, moreover,sharea similarlightlyengravedmonogramin the hollow of the omphalos.In
termsof styletheyaresimilarto the phialai
of the so-calledAchaemeniantype (nos. 28
and29) illustratedon the oppositepage.
All fourhavenine lobes alternatingwith
nine stylizedlotuses.
265 grams.Purchase,RogersFund,Anonymous Gift, andHalinaandJohnKlejman
Gift, 1969 (69.11.10)
The seventy-sixtongueson the outsideof
the lowerpartof the bowl arechased,as are
the threecarinationson the shoulder.
23. Silverwine cup.Greek,sixthcentury
weight 161grams.Purchase,Anonymous
Gift, 1967 (67.11.17)
The decoration,limitedto the outside,is
chased.It consistsof a sixteen-petalledrosette surroundedby a circleof beadingon
the bottom andeighty-twotongueson the
convexpartof the bowl; abovethe flutes,
justbelow the offset lip, is a circleof
kymatiaandeggs. The rosetteis a forerunnerof the similarones on the bottomsof
nos. 75, 78, and 79.
Height 4.1 cm; diameter14.9-15.1 cm;
weight206.9 grams.Purchase,Rogers
As on no. 22 the eighty-seventongueson
the outsidearechased,andthereis an
engravedcirclearoundthe depressionof the
omphalos.In addition,however,this phiale
hasthirty-eighttongueschasedon the
inside,surroundingthe omphalos,the
undersideof whichhasincisedletters(Alik)
thatmaybe the beginningof a Greekname,
anda complexmonogram.
26
25-29. Five silver phialai. Greek, sixth

century
B.C.
25. Offset lip, shallow omphalos, carination

on shoulder, ninety-five lightly chased
tongues on the outside. Height 3.25 cm;
diameter 17.0 cm; weight 210 grams.
Classical Purchase Fund, 1980 (1980.11.13)
26. Offset lip, small omphalos, small tongue
pattern on shoulder, thirty-two tongues on
body. Height 4.25 cm; diameter 15.67 cm;
weight 205 grams. Purchase, Rogers Fund,
Anonymous Gift, and Halina and John Klejman Gift, 1968 (68.11.8)
27. Continuous convex contour, deep
omphalos with collar consisting of sixty-one
chased tongues. The outside is plain.
Height 3.8 cm; diameter 18.0 cm; weight
409 grams. Purchase, Anonymous Gift,
1970 (1970.11.15)
29. Same type, but smaller.Height 3.2 cm;

diameter 13.92 cm; weight 154 grams.
Rogers Fund, 1966 (66.11.20)
Phialai with flaring rims or offset lips (nos.
25, 26, 28, 29) are commonly called the
Achaemenian type, though it is by no means
certain that all were made by Persians.The
pure Greek shape is represented by no. 27,
and in Attic potteryoccurs as early as the
sixth century B.C.A somewhat flatter and
much lighter silver phiale in the Indiana
University Art Museum (ace. no. 69.102.2;
A. Oliver, Jr.,Silverforthe Gods,1977, p. 25,
no. 2) shares its system of decoration with
no. 27. The combination of carination on
the shoulder and tongues below (no. 25)
continues well into the fourth century and
occurs on drinking cups (see no. 77).
28. Flaring rim, small omphalos, nine lobes

separatedby nine lotuses. Height 4.2 cm;
diameter 17.7 cm; weight 210.5 grams.
Rogers Fund, 1966 (66.11.19)
27
G. Bastis,Mrs.ThomasS. Brush,Winslow
Carlton,andMrs.JamesJ.RorimerGifts,
1969 (69.11.11)
The phialehas an offset lip andan ornamental bandof somewhatirregulartongues
below the junctionof lip andbody.An
owner'smonogram(shownhere)is
engravedon one sideof the lip; on the
oppositeside thereis anothergraffito.
t
'=:
31,32. Two deepsilverphialai.Greek,sixth

centuryB.C.Left: height6.5 cm; diameter
15.84 cm; weight254.2 grams.Right:
height 5.8 cm; diameter14.06 cm;weight
231.4 grams.Purchase,AnonymousGift,
1970 (1970.11.19,18)
Thesetwo libationbowls introducefurther
variations.The one on the righthasninetyeight shorttongueschasedon its shoulder
andninety-twolong, narrowleavesthat
radiatefroma reservedbandaroundthe
hollow of the omphalos,whichis inscribed
with a lambda.The largerof the two bowls,
on the left, hasonly eighty-nineshort
tonguesbelow the junctionof lip andshoultwo Greekletterschiandiota.
33. Deep silverbowl. Greek,sixthcentury

weight253 grams.Purchase,Anonymous
Gift, 1973 (1973.11.8)
34. Shallowsilverbowl. Greek,sixthcenturyB.C. Height 3.7 cm;diameter16.36
cm; weight 237 grams.Purchase,AnonymousGift, 1973 (1973.11.9)
Thesetwo handsome,though totally
undecorated,bowlswereacquiredtogether
with a plainsilversitula(no. 53), a plainsilverladle(no. 64), andthe smallerof our
two silverstrainers(no. 67); presumablythe
fiveobjectswerefound together.
28
_l
-i___
35. Silvertrefoiloinochoe.Greek,sixth
centuryB.C.Height to top of handle18 cm;
to top of rim17.3cm;diameter9.55 cm;
weight623 grams.RogersFund,1966
(66.11.23)
The body of the jug is raised,whilethe foot
andhandlearecastseparatelyandjoinedto
the vasewith solder.The shoulderandthe
foot aredecoratedwith tongues,andthere
is a circleof beadingat the junctionof the
foot andthe body;a kymationis chasedon
the edge of the mouth.The handleis in the
shapeof a nakedyouth bendingbackward,
his long hairfallinginto the mouthof the
vase.His feet reston a separatelycastlower
attachmentthatterminatesbelowin a hanging palmette;the lateralprojectionsaretwo
recumbentramsin high relief,theirheads
turnedtowardthe viewer.Thesetwo rams
correspondto two couchantlionsplaced
backto backon the rimon eithersideof the
headof the youth,who graspstheirtails.
The schemeof the handlewith a youth,two
lions above,andtwo ramsbelowis known
fromGreekbronzehydriaiandoinochoai,
but to datethis is the only examplein silver.
Bibliography:T. P. F Hoving, TheChase,theCapture, 1975, p. 119, fig. 19.
29
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36. Silver trefoil oinochoe. Greek, sixth

century B.C.Height to top of handle 20.6
cm; to top of rim, 18.1 cm; diameter 11.86
cm; weight 825 grams. Purchase, Rogers
Fund, Anonymous Gift, and Halina and
John Klejman Gift, 1968 (68.11.11)
The body of the jug and the foot are raised
separatelyand joined with solder. The handle is cast and attached to the rim and to the
shoulder of the jug with solder. Arching
high above the mouth, the handle terminates above in the head of a lion, its mouth
wide open. The mane is not rendered in
relief but by incision. The lateralprojections
on top are in the shape of spools and are
decorated at the ends with rosettes, likewise
incised. The lower finial of the handle, in
low relief, shows the frontal head of a panther flanked by its forelegs. The beading
along the ridge of the handle and its edges is
also applied to the edges of the spools
above, the fillet between the body of the
vase and the foot, the edge of the foot, and
the junction of panther head and handle.
The conceit of a handle with feline finials is
also observed on bronze hydriai and
oinochoai, but this jug gives us the first,
and to date only, example in silver.
l'orfevreriede la Grce orientaleau Metropolitan
Rendus,1981, p. 201,
fig. 6.
,
.N,r~r.N .
31
_
<p
_MT
4
37. Silveroinochoe.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Height to top of handle 13.8 cm;to top of rim12.5 cm;diameter11.77cm;weight439

grams.Purchase,RogersFund,AnonymousGift, andHalinaand
The body,asusual,is raised;the handle,however,is not solidsilver
but hollow,composedof two halvesandfilledwith lead.
Whilethe shapeof thisjug is moreEasternthanGreek,the sculpturaladjunctsof the handle-a lion'sheadaboveanda headof the
EgyptiandivinityBesbelow-are typicallyGreek.The mouthis not
completelycircularbut hasa slightspout,the edgesof whichare
incisedon the insideof the lip.
38. Silveroinochoe.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Heightto top of

handle19.6 cm;to top of rim18.8 cm;diameter13.93 cm;weight
850.5 grams.Purchase,RogersFund,AnonymousGift,Arthur
DarbyNock Fund,in memoryof GiselaRichter,andChristosG.
Bastis,DavidL. KleinJr.MemorialFoundation,Inc., Helen H.
Mertens,RichardA. VanAvery,RuthElizabethWhite,andMrs.
JamesJ. Rorimer,Gifts, 1976 (1976.11.1)
The body is carinated,as is thatof no. 37, but the proportionsare
differentandthe neckis set off moresharplyfromthe shoulder.The
spout is quitepronounced.The casthandleis flutedandterminates
abovein a stylizedeagle'sheadthatappearsto biteinto the lip. Similarstylizedanimalheadsappearon Lydianbronzes.
33
39-43. Five silver pitchers. Greek,

sixth century B.C.
39. Height, with handle, 11.6 cm; weight

92 grams. Purchase, Anonymous Gift, 1967
(67.11.16)
72 grams. Classical Purchase Fund, 1980
(1980.11.16)
107 grams. Fletcher Fund, 1968 (68.11.59)
86.5 grams. Purchase, The Abraham Foundation, Inc., Gift, 1975 (1975.11.5)
43. Height, with handle, 11 cm; weight
104.5 grams. Purchase, Mrs. Vincent Astor
Gift, 1966 (66.11.24)
The five silver pitchers are too small to have
served as wine jugs, and it is more likely that
they contained an aromatic liquid that was
added to the wine. All five have the underside of the foot decorated in repousse with a
rosette; the handles are riveted to the body,
which, including the foot, is invariably
raised. The lower finial of the handle is
always a palmette, but the decorations of
the body differ. No. 42, the most elaborate,
has tongues on the shoulder and tongues
34
below; nos. 39 and 43 have tongues only on

the shoulder; nos. 40 and 41 have plain
bodies. A further difference is that nos. 39,
42, and 43 have palmettes on the upper
attachment of the handle as well. Other
small silver pitchers of this type are in Berlin
(1974.2 and 3) and Oxford.
44. Bronze jug with slip-on lid. Greek or
Lydian, sixth century B.C.Height to top of
lid 22.5 cm; diameter 16.5 cm. Purchase,
Rogers Fund, Anonymous Gift, and Halina
and John Klejman Gift, 1968 (68.11.18)
The bronze jug is exhibited in the Greek and
Roman Treasurybecause it was acquired
with a group of fourteen silver vases that
may all have been found together. Of simple, rather squat form, the jug is remarkable
owing to its lid, which was slotted along its
lower edge and slipped over the flat handle
before the latter was riveted to the mouth
and body of the jug. The same technique is
known from Lydian pottery (e.g., 14.30.22;
MMA Bulletin n.s. 26 [1967-68], p. 199,
upper right). The tiering of the lid may be
compared with the similar convention on
the lid of the incense burner (no. 68).
Bibliography:C. H. Greenewalt,Jr.,Ritual Dinners
in EarlyHistoricSardis,1978, p. 12. n. 3.
45. Silveralabastron.Greek,sixthcentury
B.C.Height 10.3 cm;diameter3.6 cm;
weight 115grams.RogersFund,1966
(66.11.27)
Of allthe silveralabastra
knownthisis the
most elaborate.The body is dividedinto
fourpictorialzonesseparatedby ornamental bandsof differentpatterns.In the top
registera naturaldivisioninto anobverse
andreverseis furnishedby the two lugs in
the shapeof ducks'heads;eachpicturein
this zone is of two cocksconfrontingeach
other.The secondregistercontinuesthe
distinctionbetweenbackandfrontby
havingon the obversea lionessanda lion
attackinga bullfacingleft, whileon the
reversethe bullbeing attackedby the
lionessandthe lion facesright.In the third
zone a battleof warriorsrages:two phalanxesattackeachother,fivewarriorson the
left againstsixon the right,and,to avoid
too obviousa suture,the battlesceneon the
othersidedepictsa duel betweentwo
hoplites.The lowestregistershowson the
obversea trio of fallowdeer,followedby a
fourthon the rightthattakesup mostof the
spaceon the back.The roundedbottomof
the alabastronis decoratedflorally:fourcircumscribedpalmettesarearrangedsymmetricallywith eight additional,somewhat
smallerpalmettesin the spandrels.
Bibliography:All our silveralabastraarediscussedin
ArtibusAegypti,Brussels,1983, pp. 15-23, figs.
5-12.
35
weight 76 grams.FletcherFund, 1968
(68.11.61)
The systemof dividingthe body into four
zones by ornamentalbandsis the sameas on
the alabastronwith figures(no. 45), but
herethe zones areleft empty.On the bottom, insteadof the palmetteconfiguration,
is a rosettecomposedof eight lozenges.
The ornamentsin the bandsaretongues
(on top), saltiresquares,a cablepattern,
lozenges,andsaltiresquares.The lugs,
againin the shapeof ducks'heads,arenot
workedseparatelybut, as is usualin this
groupof silveralabastra,raisedfromthe
insideof the vase.
weight 71 grams.Purchase,ChristosG.
BastisGift, 1967 (67.11.10)
The body of the vaseis divided(ason some
of the others)into threezones by narrow
ornamentalbandsof whichthreehavespecialsaltiresquares.The secondbandhas
hatchedtriangleslikethose appliedto no.
47. On the bottomis a rosettewith sixteen
petals.The plumageon the duck's-headlugs
is closerto thaton no. 47 thanto thaton
no. 45.
B.C.Height, with stopper,16.46 cm, without stopper,15.15cm; diameter5.2 cm;
weight 96 grams.ClassicalPurchaseFund,
1980 (1980.11.15)
The stopper,hemisphericalanddecorated
with a whirlingpattern,is attachedto a
shorthollow cylinderthatslipsinto another
cylinderattachedto the rimof the vesselby
a flangethatcoversandstrengthensit. The
ornamentaldecorationis limitedto tongues
below the neckandthreedividingbands
(squaresandhatchedtriangles,cablepattern,opposedhatchedtriangles).The
bottom has an elaboratestarrosettewith
twenty-twopoints. Likethe othersilveralabastraof this class,this one is equippedwith
lugs in the formof ducks'heads.
36
49. Silverskyphos,with foot restored.

Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Height, as
restored,16.6 cm, as preserved,12.5 cm;
width 22.04 cm; diameter14.26-15.33 cm;
weight,as restored,597 grams.Gift of
Mr.andMrs.ThomasS. Brush,1971
(1971.118).Ex coll. Hagop Kevorkian
As on the silveralabastra,the body is
dividedinto zones by narrowornamental
bands.The top zone hereis decoratedwith
linkedhangingpalmettesandlotuses,
lightlyengraved.The secondzone presents
in the centerof eachsideheraldicsphinxes;
undereachhandle,heraldiclions raisea
forelegat an elaboraterosettein the center.
In the thirdzone six grazingfallowdeer
advanceto the left, followedby a wading
bird(probablya demoisellecrane).The last
zone is againornamental-a zig-zagband
surmountedateachangleby palmettes.
In techniqueandcompositionthe
engraveddrawingis verycloseto thaton
one of the silveralabastra(no. 45), especiallyin the treatmentof the fallowdeer.
The bodyof the skyphosis raised;the
roundhandlesarecast.The foot hasbeen
restoredon the analogyof Lydianterracotta
skyphoi.
Bibliography:Sale cat., Sotheby's,London, Dec. 8,
1970, lot 36 (ill.).
37
50. Silverbeaker.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.
Height 10.7cm;diameter6.12 cm;weight
64 grams.Purchase,AnonymousGift, 1967
(67.11.11)
The body is fluted,andat the junctionof
neckandshoulderthereis a notchedfillet.
The beakermaybe comparedwith a somewhatlargerglassbeakerin the Corning
Museumof Glass(ace.no. 66.1.16;Journal
ofGlassStudies9 [1967], p. 133, fig. 3).
51. Silverbeaker.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.
Height 11.8cm;diameter6.2 cm;weight
107 grams.FletcherFund,1968 (68.11.60)
This beakershareswith no. 50 the fluting
andthe filletat the junctionof neckand
shoulder.Its bottom,however,is not round
but flatanddecoratedwith a fourteenpetaledrosette.The rosettelinksthe beaker
stylisticallyto the smallsilverpitchers(nos.
39-43).
52. Silverjarwith lid. Greek,sixthcentury

B.C.Height, with lid, 9.06 cm, withoutlid,
6.8 cm; diameter5 cm; weight 72.6 grams.
Purchase,RogersFund,AnonymousGift,
andHalinaandJohnKlejmanGift, 1968
(68.11.5)
The body andlid areraised.The heavyring
handleon top of the lid is solderedto it. The
jarwasperhapsusedfor cosmetics.
53. Silversitulawith swingingbailand

chain.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Height,
with bailupright,9.5 cm, to top of rim6.75
cm; lengthof chain53.34 cm; totalweight
106.7grams.Purchase,AnonymousGift,
1973 (1973.11.10)
The body of the situlais raised,andthe
hammeredomega-shaped
bailis slipped
throughtwo holesnearthe rim.The chain,
whichconsistsof forty links,is attached
with an oval ringto the bailandfurnished
with a ringat the otherend thatcanbe slipped on a finger.No exactparallelsexistfor
this silversitula,but its shapecanbe saidto
resembleEgyptiansitulae.
Bibliography:Sale cat., Sotheby's,London, July10,
1972, no. 60 (ill.).
38
54. Silver saucer.Greek, sixth century B.C.

Height 1.4 cm; diameter 7.25 cm; weight
38.4 grams. Purchase, Rogers Fund, Anonymous Gift, and Halina and John Klejman
Gift, 1968 (68.11.6)
The small saucer has a rounded bottom and
resembles three such silver saucers excavated
at Sardis and now in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
55. Silversaucerwith spout andhandle.

Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Height 2.15 cm;
diameter7.5 cm;width 10.5 cm; weight
51.5 grams.Purchase,RogersFund,AnonymousGift, andHalinaandJohnKlejman
Gift, 1968 (68.11.7)
The shallowsaucerandthe spoutwere
raisedfroma singlediskof sheetsilver;the
loop handlewasforgedseparatelyand
attachedto the rimwith rivets.The flattened,circularendsof the loop aredecoratedwith incisedrosettes.A ligature
composedof a retrogradekappaandlambda
appearstwice,lightlyengravedon the outside below andto the rightof the handle.
56. Silverdish.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.
Height 1 cm; diameter8.8 cm;weight 87.3
grams.Purchase,Mrs.VincentAstorGift,
1966 (66.11.25)
This smallshallowdishbearsa faintgraffito
on the flatbottomin the formof the Greek
letterchi.
39
/*
U P
f*
>
s
I~~~~~,
dAki
57. Silverplatterwith swinginghandle.

Greek,latesixthcenturyB.C.Height to
edge 4.8 cm; diameter30.46 cm; length,
with handleextended,39.7 cm; weight
1,525.5 grams.Purchase,RogersFund,
AnonymousGift, andHalinaandJohn
KlejmanGift, 1968 (68.11.3)
The shallowbowl of the platteris raised,
andalmosthalfof the peripheryof the rim
rodthatis
is reinforcedby a semicircular
rivetedto it in four places,aswell as solderedto it alongits entirelength.To this
supportareattachedtwo hammeredrings
thatin turnhold the hammeredomegashapedswinginghandle,the finialsof which
arein the shapeof buds.Suchlargeshallow
plattersareknownmostlyfrombronze
examples,two of which,now in the British
Museum,werefound in a tomb (datedto
the late sixth century B.C.) in Amathus on
Cyprus;a third,now in the J.PaulGetty

Museumin Malibu(acc.no. 78 A.C. 403),
hasa largefloralrosettein the center.
58. Silvercoverwith ringhandle.Greek,

latesixthcenturyB.C.Height to top of ring
handle5.6 cm; diameter18.06 cm;weight
246.6 grams.Purchase,RogersFund,
AnonymousGift, andHalinaandJohn
KlejmanGift, 1968 (68.11.15)
The lid properis raisedfroma singledisk.
To its top, in the center,is soldereda rosette
with twenty-twopetals,whichin turnis
surmountedby a smallballthatholdsthe
ring.The ringhandlecover,acquired
togetherwith the platter(no. 57), mayhave
been foundsittingin it, for a faintcircular
discolorationon the surfaceof the insideof
the plattercorrespondsto the diameterof
the lid.
40
59. Silverkyathos(ladle).Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Height 22.7 cm; diameterof bowl

4.8 cm; weight 89 grams.RogersFund,
1966 (66.11.26)
Of allthe archaicmetalladlesknownthis is
the most elaborate.It wasmadein several
parts:the bowl wasraisedfroma silverdisk,
andthe handleandthe loop on top were
castseparately,
aswerethe two sphinxes
flankingit at the junctionto the bowl.The
handleis joinedto the bowl with rivets;the
loop on top is solderedon, as arethe two
sphinxesbelow.The iconographyis quite
The facetedhandletermiextraordinary.
natesbelowin the forepartof a wingedlion,
sculptedin the roundas farbackas its
haunches;it seemsto plungeinto the bowl
as if drinkingfromit. The two sphinxes
heraldically
placedon the rimof the bowl
aresomewhatsmallerin scale.The handle
terminatesabovein a lotus capitalof
vaguelyAchaemenianform.The loop above
is decoratedin reliefwith two hybrideaglegriffinsthathaveeagles'heads,wings, and
talons,horses'ears,andlions'forelegs.
Bibliography:T. P. E Hoving, TheChase,theCapture, 1975, p. 119, fig. 20; D. von Bothmer"Les
Tresorsde l'orfevreriede la Greceorientaleau MetropolitanMuseumde New York,"in Academiedes
Rendus,1981,
Inscriptionset Belles-Lettres,Comptes
pp. 194ff, fig. 3.
60. Silverkyathos.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.
Height 16.68 cm; diameterof bowl 5.3 cm;
(1975.11.3)
The facetedhandleandthe loop arehammeredfromone rod of silver;the lowerend
is attachedto the bowl with threerivetsthat
go throughandpartlyobscurethe engraved
palmetteon the finial.The loop terminates
abovein the headof a calf.This kyathosis
somewhatshorterthanthe othersin the
Museumbut the styleof the animalhead
andthe facetinglinkit with the otherladles.
The techniqueof rivetingthe finialof the
handleto the body alsooccurson someof
the smallsilverpitchers.
Height 20.94 cm; diameterof bowl 6.12
cm; weight 107.6grams.Purchase,Rogers
The bowl, stem,andloop areallhammered
andraisedfromone pieceof silver.The loop
curveson top awayfromthe bowl,not
towardit as on no. 60. The finelychased
finialis in the shapeof a calfs head.
41
Height 23.25 cm; diameterof bowl 5.83
cm; weight 101grams.ClassicalPurchase
Fund, 1980 (1980.11.14)
On this kyathosthe bowl andthe handleare
raisedfromone pieceof metal.The cast
loop on top of the handleis joinedto the
stemof the handlewith solder,as is the finial
in the formof a quatrefoillotus.The stemis
fluted.The loop is decoratedwith two
heraldiclionsworkedin a techniquesimilar
to thatusedon the loop of no. 59 in thatthe
animalsarepartlyin the roundandpartlyin
relief.The lions toucheachotherwith their
extendedfrontlegs andaverttheirheads.A
variantof this heraldicrepresentation
occurson the loop of a silverkyathosin
Cleveland(ace.no. 56.34; Bulletinofthe
MuseumofArt 45 [1958], p. 46),
Cleveland
on whichthe lions faceeachother,andin
placeof the lotus finialon top of the stem
therearetwo animalheads.
MuseumofArt,
Annual Report1980-1981,1981, pp. 36-37; idem,
1980-1981, 1981, p. 12.
NotableAcquisitions
Height 22.04 cm; diameterof bowl4.556
cm; weight 72.7 grams.ArthurDarbyNock
Fund,in memoryof GiselaRichter,and
RogersFund,1976 (1976.11.4)
This ladle,somewhatsmallerthannos. 59
and62, introducesyet anothervariant.The
ladle'sstemandbowl areraisedin one piece
as on no. 62, with whichit alsosharesthe
quatrefoillotus on top, but the loop surmountingthe stemdoes not havecomplete
animalsbut only lions'heads,as on many
GreekandGreco-Persian
bracelets.Closest
to this kyathosis one formerlyin the collection ofTheodor Wiegand(K. A. Neuin deutschem
gebauer,Antiken
Privatbesitz,
1938, pl. 89, no. 209).
Height 19.71cm; diameterof bowl4.665
cm; weight 80.4 grams.Purchase,AnonymousGift, 1973 (1973.11.11)
This is the plainestof the Museum's
kyathoi.It is withoutanysculptural
adjunctsandornamentationandmaybe
comparedwith a silverkyathosfromSardis
in the museumat Istanbul.The loop in the
form of a plainringis attachedwith solder.
Bibliography:Sale cat., Sotheby's,London, July10,
1972, no. 60 (ill.).
65. Silverspoon. Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.

Length,as preserved,10.7cm;weight27
grams.Gift of Mr.andMrs.J.J.Klejman,
1968 (68.5)
Hammeredandraisedfroma singlepieceof
silver,this ratherflatspoon hasa shortstem
turnedinto a loop thatterminatesin a
duck'shead.The headof a duckas a sculpturaladjunctalsooccurson the four silver
alabastrain the Museum'scollection(nos.
45-48).
42
66. Silverstrainer.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.
Length,with the bowl horizontal,28.26
cm;diameterof bowl 12.76cm; depthof
bowl 6.3 cm;weight 325 grams.Fletcher
Fund, 1968 (68.11.58)
The bowl of thisstrainer(whichis raised)
hasa broadconcaverimanda steeper
bulgethatis perforatedin
omphalos-shaped
two tiers:on the innercentralportion the
perforationsform a whirligigto left, while
on the surroundingzone the tiny holesare
drilledin a sicklepatternfacingthe other
way.The diameterof the innercup (8 cm)
wouldhavecorrespondedto the diameterof
the goblet or beakerinto whichthe wine
wasstrained.The heavy,flathandleis cast
andattachedto the bowl at an anglewith
threerivetsthatarecarefullyplacedso as
not to destroythe symmetryof the
engravedandchasedpalmetteof the finial.
A hook in the shapeof a duck'sheadand
neckis providedat the otherend.
- ;.)
67. Silverstrainer.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.
Length21.63 cm; diameterof bowl 8.5 cm;
depthof bowl 5.45 cm;weight217.1grams.
Purchase,AnonymousGift, 1973
(1973.11.7)
Here the strainerpartof the bowl is domeshapedandset off fromthe broad,slightly
slantedrimwith a collar.Its smalldiameter
(belowthe collar:4.71cm) suggeststhatit
wasusedwith a beakeror goblet with a
fairlysmallmouth.Partof the stemof the
handleis hexagonalin cross-section;at its
junctionwith the rimof the bowl the handle flaresout at eitherside andis decorated
on its uppersurfacewith an incisedlotus.
~'
stemis reinforcedwith two groupsof
~The
!'
threeprofiledrings,andits upperend
curvesin a semicircleto the left andterminatesin the headof a calf.A rowof small
circlesis punchedallthe wayaroundthe
edge of the rim.The holesof the strainerare
evenlyspacedin elevenconcentriccircles
andarelimitedto the verybottom.Two
similarstrainersarein the BritishMuseum
(118462;117840).This strainerwas
acquiredwith a ladle(no. 64), a situlaand
chain(no. 53), andtwo plainbowls (nos.
33 and34), allof whicharesaidto have
beenfoundtogether.
'^T~~I~
Bibliography:Salecat., Sotheby's,London, July10,

1972, no. 60 (ill.).
43
68. Silverincenseburner.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Height 28.2 cm; diameterof base

10.6 cm;weight221 grams.ClassicalPurchaseFund,1980 (1980.11.12)
An inscriptionin Lydianletterson the flare
of the baseidentifiesthis censeras the property of Artimas.The supportis carinated
andshowsa pronouncedbulgetowardthe
top. It also hastwo ducks'headslikethose
on the manysilveralabastra(cf. nos.
45-48), one of whichhasa perforationfor
the attachmentof a chainwith six linksstill
preserved.The standis raisedfroma single
diskof sheetsilverto whichthe raisedcup
of the incenseburnerproperis soldered.
This cup has a pronouncedoffset upright
rim overwhicha conicalcoverfitssnugly.
The cover,also raised,hasten tiers,of
whicheight areperforatedwith arrowshapedslots for the diffusionof the smoking incense.This coveris surmountedby a
caststatuetteof a cock,the plinthof whichis
solderedto a smallfloralsaucer.The finialis
rivetedto the cover,andthereis a ring in
the fantailto whichthe chainwas attached.
The sculpturaladjunctsof this veryelaborateincenseburnerconnectits styleso
finealacloselywith thatof the particularly
bastron(no. 45) thatone canthinkof both
as beingmadein the sameworkshop.
Cockson top of incenseburnercoversare
knownfromEgypt (cf. G. Maspero,in Le
2 [1907], pp. 54ff, pl. 24), a
MuseeEgyptien
Punicgravestelein Vienna(J.M. Carrie,
Byrsa,vol. 1, 1979, pp. 319ff,fig. lib), and
an Etruscanbronzeincenseburneron the
Swissmarket:it is not surprisingthatsuch
decorativeconceitstraveledwidelyin the
ancientworld.
MuseumofArt,
AnnualReport1980-1981,1981, pp. 36-37; idem,
1980-1981, 1981, p. 12; D. von
NotableAcquisitions
Bothmer,"LesTresorsde l'orfevreriede la Grce orientale au MetropolitanMuseumde New York,"in
Academiedes Inscriptionset Belles-Lettres,Comptes
Rendus,1981, pp. 194ff, fig. 5; R. Gusmani,inKadmos22 (1983), pp. 56-60, pl. 1 (on the inscription).
44
69. Bronzeincenseburner.Greek,sixth
centuryB.C.Length62.5 cm. Purchase,
RogersFund,AnonymousGift, andHalina
andJohnKlejmanGift, 1968 (68.11.17)
Thoughnot madeof preciousmetal,this
uniqueincenseburneris exhibitedwith
tablesilverof the periodandstylebecauseit
musthavebeenpartof a banquetservice.It
wasmadein severalparts:the bowl proper,
in whichthe incensewasburned,is soldered
to an interveningcastmemberthatendsin a
sleevefor the carryingrod;lateralprojec-
tions in the form of ducks' heads set backto-back flank this member and are soldered
to it as well as to the bowl, the whole forming a finial. On top of this finial a lug is perforated crossways to serve as a pivot for the
hind feet of a cast statuette of a calf that
turns its head back. Its front hooves are
attached to a short plinth that in turn is
riveted to the domed, tiered cover of the
incense burner. Like the silver incense
burner (no. 68), the cover has arrow-shaped
perforations in two of its five tiers. It is
equipped with a knob on top that is riveted
to the cover. The other end of the long carrying rod is capped by a cast head of a calf.
Unlike pedestaled incense burners, which
were set on tables in a room or sanctuary,
the horizontal one was carried by hand and
moved from side to side, like the so-called
arm censers from Egypt. No other incense
burners of this type have been found in
Greece or Anatolia, but a Syrian "arm
censer,"made of steatite and somewhat
shorter than ours, combines the Egyptian
convention of a hand holding the cup with
the new element of a long rod terminating
in the head of a bull, and thus supplies the
missing link between the time-honored
Egyptian shape and its later adaptation.
41.
Bibliography:D. von Bothmer,in MonumentsPiot61

(1977), pp. 51-53. (The Syrianarmcenseris published in the sale cat., Sotheby's,London, Dec.
12-13,1983, pp. 22-23, no. 87.)
70. Silver cosmetic box with cover and its

silver scoop. Greek, sixth century B.C.
Height 3.35 cm; width 8.87 cm; length
9.22 cm; weight 350 grams. Length of
scoop 7.35 cm; weight 10.4 grams. Purchase, Rogers Fund, Anonymous Gift, and
Halina and John Klejman Gift, 1968
(68.11.12 [box] and 68.11.13 [scoop])
The box proper, almost square in shape, is
divided into a cylindrical central compartment and four adjacent angular ones. One
of the dividing walls is notched to accommodate the small cosmetic scoop. The lid is
flat and swivels horizontally around a rivet
in the middle of the north wall; on the
opposite wall the lid is slotted to accept a
swiveling stud that moves around an axle
attached inside the box near the top of the
wall. In addition to these two functional
studs there are five other buttons, or "nail
heads," on the lid, soldered onto its center
and its four corners, that are purely ornamental (the one in the northeast corner is
missing). Thus the cosmetic box when
closed would look hermetically sealed and
could only be opened by those familiar with
the mechanism. The heads of the studs are
gilt.
Porfevreriede la Grce orientaleau Metropolitan
Rendus,1981, pp.
194ff, fig. 8.
71. Silver mirror disk. Greek, sixth century

B.C.Diameter 17.3 cm; length, as preserved,
18.92 cm; weight 428.7 grams. Purchase,
Rogers Fund, Anonymous Gift, and Halina
and John Klejman Gift, 1968 (68.11.10)
The highly polished convex surface of this
mirror was used for reflection. It must have
been hand-held, for the silver tong project-
ing from the disk has three rivet holes for

attaching a handle of either wood or ivory,
which has not survived.
Not many archaicsilver mirrors are
known. One was found in Gordion in a cremation burial of the mid-sixth century and
is now in Ankara (UniversityMuseumBulletin [Philadelphia] 16 [1951], p. 20, fig. 1).
45
-w
rr
?bc,
I'
PI?1L
R;IIIIII
..k
72-76. Group of objects said to have
been found at Prusias. Greek, second half

of fourth century B.C.Bequest of WalterC.
Baker, 1971. Ex coll. Wilhelm Fabricius
72. Silver kyathos. Height 27.3 cm; diameter of bowl 6.95 cm; weight 150.4 grams.
(1972.118.161)
73. Silver kylix. Height to top of handles
7.7 cm, to rim 6.7 cm; diameter of mouth
10.61-11 cm; width 16.62 cm; weight 220.1
grams. (1972.118.164)
74. Bronze situla with swinging handles.
Height, with handles raised, 32 cm, with
handles lowered, to top of attachments,
24.9 cm; diameter of mouth 19.4 cm.
(1972.118.88)
75. Silver phiale. Height 4.8 cm; diameter
15.8 cm; weight 315 grams. (1972.118.163)
76. Silver strainer.Length 13.13 cm; diameter of bowl 7.58 cm; weight 49.2 grams.
(1972.118.162)
These five objects, said to have been found
together in Prusias (Bithynia), constitute a
table service that on the analogy of similar
finds in South Russia and Arzos (northern
Greece) can be dated in the second half of
the fourth century B.C.The kyathos is in the
tradition of the archaicladles of which the
Museum has many examples. The cup and
stem are worked from a single piece of silver. The upper end of the stem is bent back
to form a hook that terminates in a duck's
head and neck. The perforations of the
strainer are patterned in a whirligig; the
handle, which is worked separatelyand soldered on, has a duck's-head finial. The
phiale is decorated on the outside with a
complex rosette in the center of its bottom
from which forty-eight narrow leaves rise.
The drinking cup is of a shape well known
from bronze and terracotta kylikes. The
foot and handles are worked separatelyand
soldered on. The inside has a tondo bordered by a kymation in a zone around the
central circle, which is embellished with six
palmettes connected with tendrils-a pattern known in Attic pottery from the second half of the fifth century on. The phiale
has sometimes been called Persian, but as
more phialai are becoming known an
equally strong claim for Greek manufacture
can be made.
77. Silver bowl with offset rim. Greek, late

fourth-third century B.C.Height 5.1 cm;
diameter 9.8 cm; weight 124.6 grams.
Bequest of WalterC. Baker,1971
(1972.118.160)
The bowl has a slight depression on the bottom; the shoulder is carinated and has a
chased tongue pattern below it. Similar conventions of decoration occur on earlierEast
Greek silver vessels that betray the influence
of Achaemenian silver phialai.
Bibliography:D. von Bothmer,Greek,Etruscan,and
RomanAntiquities... WalterCummingsBaker,Esq.,
1950, p. 13, no. 103; idem,AncientArtfromNew
YorkPrivateCollections,
1961, p. 69, no. 275, pi. 100;
New
idem, in TheSearchforAlexander,
Supplement,
York,1982, p. 13, no. S49.
78. Silver cup. Greek, late fourth century

B.C.Height 6.4 cm; diameter 9.56 cm;
weight 184 grams. Bequest of WalterC.
Baker, 1971 (1972.118.159)
This sturdy wine cup is of a type well known
from recent finds in northern Greece (cf.
The SearchforAlexander [1980], pp. 160-61,
no. 120; p. 184, no. 164). It has a central
boss decorated on the underside with an
elaborate floral rosette done in repousse.
The lower part of the wall is chased with
flutings surmounted by a narrow guilloche
and, on the shoulder, a Lesbian kymation.
Tracesof parcel gilding remain in these two
bands.
Bibliography:D. von Bothmer,Greek,Etruscan,and
RomanAntiquities... WalterCummingsBaker,Esq.,
1950, p. 13, no. 102; idem,AncientArtfromNew
YorkPrivateCollections,
1961, p. 70, no. 276, pl. 100;
New
idem, in TheSearchforAlexander,Supplement,
York,1982, p. 13, no. S48.
Bibliography:K. A. Neugebauer,Antikenin deutschemPrivatbesitz,1938, p. 47, pls. 90-91, nos.

210-14; G. M. A. Hanfmann,AncientArtinAmericanPrivateCollections,
1954, p. 37, pls. 86, 88, no.
307; D. von Bothmer,AncientArtfromNew York
PrivateCollections,
1961, p. 37, no. 142, pls. 44, 52,
and pp. 68-69, nos. 266-69, pls. 100-101; D. E.
Strong, GreekandRomanGoldand SilverPlate,1966,
pp. 91-92, fig. 21, pl. 22A-C; D. von Bothmer,in
TheSearchforAlexander,
New York,
Supplement,
1982, pp. 8-9, nos. S24-28.
47
79. Silverphiale.Saidto be fromAkarnania

(Greece).Greek,fourthcenturyB.C.Height
4.5 cm; diameter15.4 cm; weight 378.3
grams.RogersFund, 1921 (21.88.34). Ex
coll. CecilHarcourtSmith
This libationbowl bearson the outsideof
the offset lip justbelow the rimtwo Greek
letters,alphaandgamma,thatarelightly
incised;to the left of the lettersa sixpointeddot circleis punchedmoredeeply.
As on the Prusiasphiale(no. 75), the center
of the undersideis decoratedwith a rosette-here composedof sixteenpetals.
Aroundthis rosetteandreachingallthe way
up to the beginningof the offset lip are
twenty-fivepointed, ribbedleaves,with
anothertwenty-five,partlyhidden,
arrangedin an innercircle.The innerleaves
andthe rosettearegilded, as is the ridge
encirclingthe tips of the leavesat the junction of lip andbody.The floraldecoration
andthe ridgearechased.
Bibliography:A. Oliver,Jr.,SilverfortheGods,1977,
p. 42, no. 12 (with complete references).
48
80. Silverkylix.Saidto havebeenfound in

Athens.Greek,thirdcenturyB.C.Height to
top of handles7.74cm, to top of rim 7.25
cm;width 18 cm;diameter10.12-10.46
cm;weight 170 grams.RogersFund,1916
(16.62)
The handlesarecastandsolderedon; the
foot, whichis raisedseparatelyandlikewise
soldered,is in two degreesandbearsa
kymationon the uppermember.Belowthe

rima narrowwavepatternencirclesthe cup,
andfollowingthat,partlyobscuredby the
handles,is a broaderbandof ivy leavesand
corymbs.All the ornamentalzones aregilt.
Bibliography:D. von Bothmer,in TheSearchfor
New York,1982, p. 12, no.
Alexander,Supplement,
S42 (with earlierreferences).
81-85. Group of five silver objects said

to have been found together Greek,late
fourth-thirdcenturyB.C.Bequestof Walter
C. Baker,1971.
8L Silverpyxiswith lid. Height,without
lid, 5.7 cm, with lid, 6.1 cm;diameterof
base6.3 cm;weight91.2 grams.
(1972.118.157)
82. Silverstrigil(scraper).Length25.1 cm;
weight 64.9 grams.(1972.118.158)
83. Silverkylix.Height to top of handles
8.45 cm, to top of rim9.35 cm;width 18.14
cm;diameter10.51cm;weight 157.9grams.
(1972.118.154)
84. Silverpitcher(handlemissing).Height
8.75 cm; diameter8.2 cm;weight 130.2
grams.(1972.118.156)
85. Silverperfumebottle. Height 11.1cm;

diameter6.25 cm;weight97.2 grams.
(1972.118.155)
The strigilandthe kylixareundecorated,
but the bottle,the pitcher,andthe pyxis
havechasedornamentalbandsthataregilt.
In addition,the pitcherhason its slightly
depressedbottoma gilt floralrosettecomposedof two differentquatrefoils.The
pyxisbearsengravedconcentriccircleson
the underside.
Bibliography:D. von Bothmer,in TheSearchfor
New York,1982, pp. 12-13,
Aleander, Supplement,
nos. S43-47 (with completeearlierreferences).
-C
86. Goldphialemesomphalos.Greek,perhapsfourthcenturyB.C.Height 3.7 cm;

diameter22.4-22.75 cm;weight 747
grams.RogersFund,1962 (62.11.1)
This libationbowl, of the traditionalGreek
form anddecoration,is workedin repousse.
The motifs arearrangedin fourconcentric
circlesof thirty-threeelementseach:the
bottomrow representsbeechnuts,the other
three,acornsincreasingin size towardthe
rim.The largerintersticesin the top register
aredecoratedwith bees,the smallerones in
the lowerpartwith simplerornaments
basedon stylizedlotuses.On the insideof
the phialea collararoundthe omphalosdisplaysfifteencircumscribed
palmettes;six
solderingmarksaroundits peripheryindicatethatseparategold ornamentswereonce
attachedto it. Therearetwo incisedinscriptions on the outsidein the flatzone around
the depressionof the omphalos.One, in
Greekletterstracedverysketchily,givesthe
beginningof a name,"Pausi...,"which
maybe restoredto Pausias,Pausileon,
Pausimachos,Pausippos,or Pausistratos.
The other inscription,moredeeply
engraved,readingfromrightto left, is in
Punic(Carthaginian)charactersthatindicatethe weight,givenhereas 180. Ancient
weightswerebasedon monetaryunits,and
if we dividethe preservedweightin grams
by 180 we obtaina unitveryclosein weight
to thatof the Attic drachmain the period
betwen429 and230 B.C.The Carthaginian
charactersaredatedin the thirdcenturyB.C.,
but the inscriptionmayhavebeenadded
laterwhen the bowl changedownership.
In anyevent,the decorationwith acorns
occursas earlyas the latesixthcenturyB.C.
on a fragmentaryphialefromCyprusnow
in Warsawandmusthavebeentraditional:
not only aregold andsilverphialaiin temple
inventoriesoften called"phialaiakylotai"or
"phialaibalanotai"(both adjectivesreferringto acorns),the acornsalsoappearon
the phialaiheldby the caryatidsof the
Erechtheumon the Acropolisin Athens,as
we learnfromthe Romancopiesfoundin
Hadrian'svilla.
Bibliography:D. von Bothmer,in MMABulletinn.s.
21 (1962-63), pp. 154-66; D. E. Strong, Greekand
RomanGoldand SilverPlate,1966, pp. 97-98, pl.
23A.
50
87. Silver-giltbowl. LateHellenistic,second-first centuryB.C. Saidto havebeen

found at Olbiain SouthRussiain 1917.
Height 7.25 cm; diameter14.64 cm;weight
242 grams.RogersFund,1922 (22.50.2).
Ex coil. J.Chmielowski
The decorationon the bowl is in repousse.
Featuredon the bottomis a starrosetteof
eight pointswith leavesbetween,from
whichrisetendrilsthatterminatein flowers
andfan-shapedpalmettes.In this floralsetting a pairof Erotesflyingtowardeach
otherappearon eachsideof the bowl. On
the better-preserved
side,the Eroson the
left holdsa stemmedcupwhilethe one on
the rightapproachesplayingthe double
flutes.On the oppositeside,the righthand
of the Eroson the left is hidden;the one
facinghim carriesa kantharosby the
handle.
Bibliography:CatalogueoftheAmericanArtGalleries,
New York,Feb. 23-25,1922, no. 745 (ill.); MMA
Bulletin17 (1922), p. 134, fig. 2; K. V. Trevor,
Greco-BactrianArt
1940, pp. 70ff, fig. 6;
Treasures,
G. M. A. Richter,HandbookoftheGreekCollection,
1953, p. 127,no. 52, fig. 106b; P. E. Corbett and
D. E. Strong, in BritishMuseumQuarterly23 (1961),
p. 81, no. 43; D. E. Strong, GreekandRomanGold
and SilverPlate, 1966, p. 110.
.-~
~__relief
~ ~~~~~~~~~~~>
88. Bronzemirrorwith wooden backing

set in a silver-giltframe.Saidto havebeen
found in Bulgariabefore1911.Hellenistic,
fourth-thirdcenturyB.C.Diameter16.7
cm;depth5.6 cm;weight,with backing,
311grams.RogersFund,1922 (22.50.1).
Ex coill.J.Chmielowski
The bronzediskof the mirroris attachedto
a dome-shapedwooden backequippedwith
a ringhandle.The frame,castin cire-perdu,
slipsoverthe wooden backingandthe disk
likea collar.It wasfastenedwith nailsalong
the overhangingflangeandon top, where
the nailheadsarecamouflagedby the centers
of the floralvolutes.The decoration,in
openwork,is a rinceauof palmettes,
flowers,andleavesthatservesas a feeding
groundfor fourgracefulherons.The frame
is borderedby beading.
The provenancein the firstpublication
(1922), "Foundat Olbiain SouthRussia
between1900 and1918,"is contradictedby
a mountedphotographof this mirrorin the
archivesof the BritishMuseumthatbears
the label(datedFebruary1911):"Saidto
Suchmirrors
havebeenfound in Bulgaria."
areknownfromthe East,especiallySouth
Russia.It hasbeensuggestedthatthe
wooden backmayhavebeencoveredwith
fabric,whichwouldhaveset off the a jour
of the framemost effectively.
Galleries,
Bibliography:CatalogueoftheAmenricanArt
New York,Feb. 23-25,1922, no. 753; G. M. A.
Richterand C. Alexander,inAmericanJournalof
(1947), pp. 221ff.
Archaeology
51
89, 90. Pairof silvered-tinphialai.Saidto

havebeen found togetherat Spina.Greek,
latefifthcenturyB.C.(39.11.4):height4.5
cm; diameter(estimated)25 cm; weight
458 grams.(47.11.9):height4.6 cm; diameter (estimated)25 cm; weight464 grams.
HarrisBrisbaneDick Fund,1939 (39.11.4);
RogersFund,1947 (47.11.9)
Both phialaiwerehammeredoverthe same
matrixandaredecoratedwith the samesubjects.The insideof eachphialeis divided
into two zones, the outerof whichis much
broader.The chiefsubjectin the outerzone
is the triumphalapotheosisof Heraklesin a
cortegeof four chariotsdrivenby Victories.
The chariotof Dionysosis followed by
those of Herakles,Athena,andAres.The
lowerzone, the predella,showsgods feasting on Mt. Olympusat the weddingof HeraklesandHebe: Hebe is offeringa phiale
anda wreathto Herakles;a reclining
woman(or goddess)is playingthe tympanon;a smallwingedfigureis flying
towardAphroditeandAres;Erosis proffering a wine cup to an old silenwho helps
himselfto food; nextcomesApollo playing
the kitharaanda museplayingthe harp;and
the compositionis concludedby Ariadne
andDionysosandanold hairysilenplaying
the flutes,who areflankedon the left by an
incenseburnerandon the rightby a
panther.
The mainsceneis knownfromseveral
replicas,some of laterdate,thatattestto the
popularityof the subject.
Bibliography:G. M. A. Richter,inAmericanJournal
(1941), pp. 363ff, and (1950), pp. 357ff.
ofArchaeology
52
91. Goldplatefor a scabbard.Saidto have

beenfoundnearNikopol in SouthRussia.
Greek,fourthcenturyB.C.Length54.5 cm.
RogersFund,1930 (30.11.12)
This swordsheathhasbeenknownsince
before1914,as photographsof it wereformerlyin the ImperialRussianInstitutein
Constantinople.The shapeis thatof the traditionalScythianscabbardsfor the akinakes,
of whichthe best preservedis in the Hermitage(Dn. 1863, 1/447,448). The Greek
artistwho decoratedthe gold platehas
dividedit into threeparts.At the chevronshapedapex,at rightanglesto the sheath
proper,he has placedtwo heraldicwinged
griffins;in the roughlytriangularextension
parallelto the mainscenea lion hasleaped
on a fallowdeer;behindthis groupa
smallerwingedgriffinslaysa deer.In the
mainfrieze,for whichthe artistusedthe
samematrixason the Chertomlykscabbard
in the Hermitage,a battlebetweenGreeks
andbarbarians
ragesoverthe entirelength.
As the scabbardtaperstowardthe chapethe
figuresareadaptedto the diminishing
height.Thusthe warriorson the left are
completelyupright,those in the middle
becomesomewhatsmaller,andthe ones on
the rightareeitherkneelingor fallen.
Bibliography:G. M. A. Richter,in MMAStudies4
(1933), pp. 109-30. (For the Chertomlyksword and
scabbardsee most recentlyThe Metropolitan
Museumof Art catalogueFromtheLandsofthe
Scythians,1975, pp. 108-109, color pl. 10.)
53
92-106. Hoard of silver vases and

utensils. Hellenistic, third century B.C.
Purchase,RogersFund,ClassicalPurchase
Fund,HarrisBrisbaneDick Fundand
Anonymous,Mrs.VincentAstor,Mr.and
Mrs.WalterBareiss,Mr.andMrs.Howard
J.Barnet,ChristosG. Bastis,Mr.andMrs.
MartinFried,JeromeLevyFoundation,
NorbertSchimmel,andMr.andMrs.
ThomasA. SpearsGifts, 1981-82.
(1981.11.15-22;1982.11.7-13)
This groupof fifteenobjects,presumably
found togethera generationago, represents
some of the finestHellenisticsilverknown
fromMagnaGraecia.Not enoughsilverof
the earlyHellenisticage hasbeen recovered
to be certainwhetherthe silverwasmadein
Tarantoor in easternSicily,but it canbe reasonablyassumedthatthe objectsareof the
thirdcenturyB.C.,andwithinthatperiodof
the secondhalfratherthanearlier.Decorativemotifs not only enjoya long life but
travelfreely,andparallelsfor some detailsof
shapeandornamentationoccuralso in the
East(especiallyPergamon)andin the South
Weareon the roadtowarda
(Alexandria).
Hellenistickoine,whichfromthe second
centuryon renderslocalattributionsso
difficult.
54
92. Deep bowl, parcel gilt. Height 6.8 cm;

diameter (estimated) 21 cm; weight 479
grams. (1981.11.19)
The underside of the bowl bears a sixpetalled rosette done in repousse. The
inside has four concentric decorative bands.
Near the rim is a wreath of pointed leaves,
held together by four sleeves set at regular
intervals and twelve spiraling bands. Almost
directly below this, a narrow band of wave
patterns is followed by a pronounced ridge
topped by beading and, below that, a band
of fern leaves set in panels. The bottom of
the bowl is embellished with an emblema
worked in repousse and soldered to a circular frame with four sprockets that in turn
is soldered to the bowl. The floral pattern
on the emblema is particularlyrich: a garnet
is set in the center of a sixteen-petalled rosette, from which spring four acanthus
leaves separated by four nymphaea nelumbo,
with eight other flowers, rendered less
symmetrically,in the background. There
is beading along the inner edge of the frame.
A notation in pointed Greek letters gives
the number 127 preceded by a symbol, perhaps the weight.
For the floral motif of the emblema compare, especially, the underside of the lid of
the pyxis in the TarantoTreasure(Rothschild collection; P. Wuilleumier, Le Tresor

de Tarente,1930, pl. 2, 2).
93. Silver bowl, parcel gilt. Height 7 cm;
diameter (estimated) 22.8 cm; weight 407
grams. (1981.11.20)
The separatelyworked central emblema is
an elaborate rosette of different petals and
leaves arranged in three tiers. A slight hollow in the very center may have held a small
garnet. The petals on the two top tiers are
rounded; the leaves on the bottom, somewhat larger, alternate between acanthus and
pointed ones. The next decorative band is a
kymation of special shape, which is followed by a somewhat broader zone of
swastika maeanders and saltire squares. The
maeander gives the effect of a third dimension, since one of its component angular
strips is not gilt and crosses or is crossed by
the gilt strip. As on the previous bowl, the
ornamentation below the rim is a wreath
held together by sleeves and spiral straps.
Below the wreath appear an egg-and-dart
pattern and, after a brief interval, a wave
pattern.
On the outside of the rim are remnants of
a numerical notation in Greek letters, no
doubt the weight.
This bowl held at one time, soldered to
the inside, the emblema with a Scylla
(no. 95).
95. Emblema,parcelgilt. Scyllahurlinga

rock.Height 2 cm;diameter,with frame,
10.5 cm;weight 81 grams.(1981.11.22)
Scylla,the seamonsterwho livedin a cavein
a cliffoff the Straitsof Messina,is shown
frontally,the humanpartsof herbody in
veryhigh relief.Both armsareraisedabove
herhead,as she is aboutto hurla largeboulder.Fromherhipsspringthreedogs. The
one in the centerhascaninepawsandeatsa
fish,the one on the left (withfinsfor feet)
devoursa sepia,whilethe dog on the right,
likewisefinned,is eyeinga dolphin.The
junctionof Scylla'shumanhalfandthe forepartsof the dogs is cleverlycamouflagedby
a finworn likea skirt.The lowerpartof her
body is formedby two long fishtails,and,
in addition,a wolf-headedseasnake,the socalledketos,encirclesher body.Grimand
ferociousthoughshe is, Scylladoes not
spurnjewelry,for she wearstwo gold
bracelets.
The repousseemblemamayhaveoriginallybeenthe lid of a pyxis.The underside
of the framein whichit restsis notched,
andtracesof soldershow thatit wasonce
attachedto the insideof bowl no. 93, thus
hidingits rosette.Perhapsthe vasefor
whichthe Scyllaservedas a coverwas
damagedbeyondrepairin antiquity,andthe
ownersalvagedthe beautifulrepousserelief
andaddedit to one of his valuablebowls.
94. Deep bowl, parcel gilt. Height 6.2 cm;

diameter 22 cm; weight 418 grams.
(1981.11.21)
This bowl, like nos. 92 and 93, has a central
leaf-rosette of three different layers. Here,
each layer is a hexafoil. A garnet is set in the
center. The decorative bands encircling the
inside of the bowl on three levels are somewhat simpler: on the inside of the rim an
egg-and-dart band is followed by a wave
pattern; farther down comes a pronounced
welt with beading in the middle and, lastly,
close to the tips of the floral rosette, a
guilloche. The layers of leaves are, on top,
nymphaea, next, plain leaves with a central
spine, and, on the bottom, acanthus.
This bowl bears two notations in pointed
Greek letters. On the outside of the rim the
number 25 is preceded by the same symbol
as written on no. 92, and on the opposite
wall is the ligature eta and rho.
55
>4
-'
fd'.
ra?if~~
,1!1J
96. Pitcher,parcelgilt. Height 9.1 cm;diameter8.13 cm;weight

178 grams.(1982.11.13)
The handleandfoot areworkedseparatelyandsolderedon. The
bodywasraisedfroma diskof sheetsilverand,likemost Hellenistic
silver,finishedon a lathe.The gildingis limitedto the kymationon
the shoulder,partof the handle,andpartsof the theatricalmask
below it.
Underthe foot is a weightnotation,"27"in pointedGreekletters,precededby a tau andan eta.
97. Hemisphericalbowl, parcelgilt. Height 7.7cm;diameter
13.85-14.44 cm (originallyca. 14 cm);weight 151grams.
(1981.11.16)
The gildingis limitedto the groovededge of the rim,a guilloche
borderedby beadingdirectlybelowthe rimon the outside,two suspendedivy wreathswith berriestied with sashes(atoppositesides),
andthe outlinesof the geometricpatternof six pentagonsabutting
a centralhexagonthatcoversthe outsideof the bowl.Theseoutlines
areengravedandreinforcedwith rowsof dots at irregularintervals.
Bowlswith this patternareknownin terracottafromPergamon
andCorinthandin glassfromGordion.
98. Skyphos,parcelgilt. Heightto top of handles8.84 cm, to top of
rim7.71cm;diameter12.64-13.31 cm;diameterof foot 5.75 cm;
weight299 grams.(1981.11.17)
The handlesandthe foot areworkedseparatelyandsolderedon,
andthe undersideof the foot is coveredwith a profileddisk.Gilding is limitedto the attachmentsof the decoratedhandlesandthe
wavepatternon the lowerparts.The slopingtop of the foot is decoratedwith a kymation.
On the undersideof the foot aretwo inscriptionsin dottedGreek
letters:EPMAanddeltaandomega.
99. Kyathos.Length247 cm;diameterof bowl 5.5 cm;weight119
grams.(1981.11.15)
This ladleis one of the latestin the Museum'scollectionbutcontinues in the traditionof the one fromPrusias(no. 72). The endof the
handleis in the shapeof a deer'shead.The inscribeddot letterson
both sidesof the top of the stemhaveso fardefiedtransliteration.
100. Phialemesomphalos,parcelgilt. Height 2.3 cm;diameter14.8
cm;weight104 grams.(1982.11.10)
Thissmallphialeis unusualin thatit is equippedwith threesaucershapedfeet thatkeepit fromwobbling.The patternworkon the
insideis gilt: twelveelongatednarrowbossesradiatearoundthe
omphalos,connectedat theirtips by a circularbandof waves.
Withinthiswheelformedby the wavecirclethe surfacehasbeen
deliberatelyroughenedto insurebetteradhesionof the gold leaf.
Onlytracesof whatmayhavebeena weightnotationin pointed
lettersremainvisibleon the outsideunderthe incrustation.Forthe
conventionof placingthreesmallsupportsunderthe convexbottom of a vasecomparethe Hellenisticterracottabowl in Bowdoin
Collegethathasthreecomicmasks.
101. Pyxis,parcelgilt. Height 5.5 cm;diameter8.34 cm;weight

148 grams.(1982.11.11A-C)
Likethe altar(no. 102),this pyxiswas"sacredto the gods,"aswe
learnfromthe Greekinscriptionin dottedletterson the edge of the
underside.It cannothavebeena powderbox or cosmeticcontainer
but mustratherhavebeenthe receptaclefor the incensethatwas
burnedon the altar.It consistsof threeparts:the pyxisproper,with
threefeet formedby the pawsof lions, an innercontainer,anda lid
in repousse.The subjectof the reliefis a goddessseatedon a rock,
and
holdinga hornof plentyfilledwith grapes,pomegranates,
otherfruit;aninfantseatedon herlapholdson to the cornucopia.
The subjectmustbe DemeterandPloutos.Gildingis preservedon
the cornucopiaandits contents,on the himationof Demeterand
on hershoes,herhair,one earring,andherbracelet,aswellason
the hairof Ploutos.A Lesbiankymation,gilt, decoratesthe lower
moldingof the pyxis.
In the centerof the undersideis a numericalnotation:"nine"precededby the symbolthatlookslikea Romanthree.In the zone
aroundit, hastilytraced,is a wordnot unlikethe notation"fromthe
war"on the altar(no. 102).
A similarsilverpyxisin Basel(BS 607) containedcoinsof Hieron
II of Syracuse(274-216 B.c.).
57
102. Smallportablealtar,parcelgilt. Height

11.3cm; the rectangularbasemeasures10.6
by 10.83 cm. (1982.11.9A-E)
The altaris madeof differentpartsand
includesaccessories.A hollow cylinder
workedin the repoussetechniqueis solderedto a castbase.Two insetsfit into the
openingon top: a shallowbasinequipped
with loops for two handlesanda somewhat
largerbasinwith anoverhangingrim.When
not in use, the two insetswerenestedinside
the altar,andit wascoveredwith the lid.
The outsideof the altarproperandthe
top of its lid areornamented.On the upper
moldinga narrowbandof lotus flowers
(alternatinglyuprightanddownward)is
followedby an egg-and-dartpattern;next
to it, separatedfromit by beading,comesa
row of starsandfivepointsarrangedlike
rosettes;below the starsandrosetteswe find
a band(not gilt) of verticallinesand,finally,
a triglyph-metopepatternbandin which
the triglyphsareleft silverwhilethe
metopesaregilt. At mid-levelof the altar
four bulls'skulls(bucrania)areshown
frontally,connectedwith one anotherby a
heavygarlandof vine leavesandother
foliage.At the bottom a plainbandof gold
is separatedfroma kymationby beading.
On the undersideof the baseseveral
Greekinscriptionscanbe read;some are
lightlyscratched,othersarefinished.The
latteraredone in dot letters:one reads
"sacredto the gods"andis followedby the
letterpianda symbolresemblinga Roman
three;the otherdot inscriptiongivesa
monogram composed of a delta and a mu.
The preliminary,
lightlyscratchedinscriptions read"sacredto the gods"and"sacred
to allthe gods."Addedacrossthe middle,in
anotherhandandin largerletters,is a notation "fromthe war."Lastly,we havea
numericalsevenprecededby the ligature
thatlooks likea Romanthree.
Forsuchminiaturealtars,I knowof only
one parallelin silver,of rectangularshape
with an inset anda lid. It wassold in
Lucerneat auction(ArsAntiqua3 [Apr.29,
1961],no. 132) andhasdisappearedfrom
view. It, too, is richly profiled and has
garlandssuspendedfrombucrania.
103,104. Pairof horns.Lengthof each15.5

cm;weight (1981.11.7):70 grams,
(1981.11.8):74.5 grams.
Eachhornwashammeredfroma silverstrip
androlledwith the edgesfoldedoverand
welded.The tips werecastseparatelyand
insertedinto the openingon top. The lower
openingis crimpedandthe flangeis perforated,indicatingthatthe hornswere
attachedto an objectmadeof anothermaterialby meansof studs.Perhapsthe horns
wereaddedto a bronzehelmetor one made
of leather.
58
105
105,106. Pair of buckets, parcel gilt. (1981.11.18): height 19.6 cm;
diameter 26.26 cm; weight 891.3 grams. (1982.11.12): height 18.5
cm; diameter 26.8 cm; weight 820.5 grams.
Each of the two parabolic bowls has three knobs in the shape of
theatricalmasks, which helped to balance it when it was filled with
wine and stood upright. In this position, however, the heads were
upside down: when not in use, the bowls sat on their rims, with the
three supporting masks right side up. Two of the masks are of a
young person (Dionysos?); the third is of a comic actor.
There is much gilding in the heads on the two silver bowls; in
addition, the larger one (no. 105) has a gilt guilloche directly below
the rim. No exact parallelsin silver are known, but a terracotta bowl
found at Butrinto in Albania is of comparable size. There the comic
mask is accompanied by one of a young satyr and another of an
old satyr.
The notion of putting some vases upside down when not in use
has affected the decoration of painted vases from as early as the
sixth century B.C.;the convention is common on Boeotian bird
bowls, both stemmed and flat bottomed, Boeotian lekanides, and
even some Attic cups. In Hellenistic times masks or cockleshells
often servedas supportsfor drinkingcupswithouta foot or base,

andit is not unlikelythatthe pottersacceptedthisconventionfrom
metalware;comparealsono. 100, the silver-giltphiale.
The Butrintobowl is publishedby L. M. Ugolini inAlbania
Antica3 (1942),p. 132, no. 6, andpl. 19; the earliestterracotta
bowlwith cockleshellsis one foundin the AthenianAgorathatwas
publishedanddiscussedby StellaMillerin Hesperia43 (1974),pp.
204-205, p. 234, no. 34, pl. 32; maskson reliefbowlsarediscussed
desDeutschenArchaologischen
Instituts
by W. ZuchnerinJahrbuch
65/66 (1950-51), pp. 194ff.Forthe Boeotianconventionof painting birdsin flightupsidedown see, e.g., CorpusVasorumAntiquorum(Heidelberg)1 (1954), pls. 23, 24; the earliestAttic
examplefor an upside-downfriezeis Boston03.784 (CorpusVas[Boston]2 [1978], p. 43, pl. 100,1-4). The
orumAntiquorum
masksof the youngpersonresemblethe gold headsof the Thessalianhoardthatis partlyin Hamburg(Athenische
Mitteilungen50
[1925], pp. 173-74, pl. 8, h; pl. 9, 5-6).
59
106
Detail of no. 105

__
60
__am I_
Detail of no. 106

_
107-109. The Bolsena Silver. Rogers

Fund, 1903.
An Etruscantomb discoverednearBolsena
(the ancientVolsinii),a smalltown about
twelvemilessouthwestof Orvieto,contained,besidesa greatdealof obviously
Etruscaniron, bronze,andterracottavases
andutensilsanda gold ring,threesilver
objectsthatfor the longesttime wereconsideredEtruscanuntilDonaldE. Strong,in
1968, stressedtheirclosestylisticaffinities
with ApulianHellenisticsilverware.All
threeobjectsbear,in Etruscandottedletters,the legend"suthina"(whichis commonlyrenderedas "ofthe tomb"),a word
thatalsooccurs,writtenin the samestyle,
on manyof the bronzesfromthe same
find;it mustthereforebe assumedthat
thesepiecesof silverwereacquiredby an
Etruscanwho laterwas buriedwith them.
The dateshouldbe earlyin the thirdcen-
109. Strigil.Length27.27 cm;weight82

grams.(03.24.7)
Strigils,or scrapers,aretoilet accessories
andwereusedchieflyby athletesto scrape
awaythe oil andsandon theirskin.Like
manyof the ladlesor spoons,strigilswere
madefroma stripof metal.The lower,
curvedpartwashammeredinto the traditionalshape,the returnof the handle,
whichsometimesterminatesin a leafshapedfinial,waslikewisehammered,and
the finialwasthensolderedto the underside
of the curvedportion.
Etruscandottedlettersonce againmark
the strigilas"ofthe tomb"(suthina).There
arealsotwo monograms,DA andMV,separatedby two verticaldots.
tury B.C.
Bibliography:A. Oliver,Jr.,SilverfortheGods,
Toledo, 1977, pp. 54-57 (with earlierreferences).
107. Amphoriskos(perfumevase),parcel
gilt. Hellenistic,thirdcenturyB.C.Height
15.4 cm, to rimonly,14.12cm; diameter
7.12cm;weight120.4 grams.(03.24.5)
The curvinghandlesarehammeredfrom
stripsof silverandattachedto the shoulder
andthe mouthof the vasewith solder.The
top of the mouthslopestowardthe narrow
opening;it wasworkedseparatelyandlaid
likea collaroverthe originalrimof the
neck.Exceptfor theseadjunctsthe vase
itselfis raisedin one piece.Fromthe base
springthreeengravedacanthusleavescoveredwith gilding,andsuspendedfromthe
shoulder,belowthe lowerattachmentof the
handles,aretwo necklacesterminatingin
ivy leaves.The gilt necklacesappearto be
tied to broadfilletswith tasselsthatare
crownedaboveby a floralwreath.
In additionto the word"suthina,"
punchedrathercrudelyon the shoulderof
one side,a monogramcomposedof the lettersD andMI separatedby two vertical
dots appearson the bottom.
108. Pyxiswith conicalcover,parcelgilt.
Height, with lid in place,8.4 cm, to top of
body 4.7 cm;diameterof base5.6 cm;
weight 54.9 grams.(03.24.6)
The body andthe lid with its slightoverhangareraised;the lid is toppedby a cast
spindle-shapedfinial.The gilt ornamentation on the overhangof the lid is a Lesbian
kymationthatmirrorsthe one alongthe
moldingabovethe base.Halfwaybetween
thesetwo a banddecoratedwith anivy rinceauencirclesthe body.On top of the lid
sevenpointedgilt leavesalternatewith
sevenleft plain,andbetweenthe pointsof
theselongerleavesarethe tips of fourteen
gilt acanthuses.
The inscription"suthina"appearsboth
on the lid andon the body.
61
110-114.
The MolltefoLtio
Hoard.
Rogers Fund, 1908.

Excavations carried out in a necropolis at
Montefortino (about thirty miles west of
Ancona in central Italy) uncovered, in
December 1895, the burial of a Gallic warrior. The tomb (number 33) contained not
only iron weapons, knives, and spits, an
iron strigil, a bronze cauldron with a swinging iron handle, a bronze wine jug, a bronze
saucepan, two plain pointed terracotta
amphorae, and numerous terracotta plates
and cups but also, and this is exceptional for
the cemetery, a gold ring and five silver
vessels.
The silver from this tomb is obviously not
of local production but must have been an
"importation" from another part of Italy.
Since the cemetery is that of Gauls, who in
the early fourth century B.C. had begun to
invade central Italy and whose intermittent
raids extended as far as Apulia, the early
Hellenistic silver from Montefortino must
represent loot. The five silver vases can be
dated on stylistic grounds to the end of the
fourth century B.C.
Toledo, 1977, pp. 62-66 (with earlierreferences).
62
110. Silver jug. Height 11.2 cm; diameter

7.53 cm; weight 242 grams. (08.258.51)
The handle is cast separately and attached
with solder to the mouth and the shoulder.
The underside of the foot is richly profiled.
111. Silver bowl with swinging handles.
Height 11.6 cm; diameter 17.27 cm; weight,
as preserved, 255 grams. (08.258.50)
This bowl is relatively thin-walled. The foot
was worked separatelyand the swinging
handles were hammered and slipped into
the tubelike projections that are attached
with solder on opposite sides of the rim.
The shape is rare, but similar silver bowls
or basins with swinging handles were found
in Macedonia (cf. H. G. Horn and C. B.
Riiger, Die Numidier,Bonn, 1979, pp. 295ff).
112,113. Pair of stemless silver cups. Both:
height to rim 3.3 cm; diameter 13.7 cm.
Width (08.258.52): 19.03 cm, (08.258.53):
18 cm; weight (08.258.52): 297 grams,
(08.258.53): 309 grams.
The cups, handles, and feet are cast separately and soldered together. The cone
projections in the center were also made
separatelyand riveted to the bowl.
Each tondo is decorated with a complex
floral pattern; the cone in the center of no.
112 has, in addition, nineteen tongues on its
slope.
The scheme of decoration is known from
other silver cups, notably three in Berlin
and one in London. The conical projections
in the center may be derived from certain
Etruscan bronze phialai of the fourth century B.C.
114. Silver kyathos. Length 20 cm; diameter

of bowl 5.43 cm; weight 91 grams. Rogers
Fund, 1908 (08.258.54)
The handle terminates above in the head
and neck of a duck or swan, with details of
the head and plumage chased. This ladle is
somewhat shorter than the others known of
this period. An owner's graffito on the inside of the bowl gives, in Greek letters, the
beginning of his name (lambda, upsilon,chi).
112
113
63
w
r
iJ
(rI
am
64
15-124. The "Svoli Hoard" of table

silve. RogersFund, 1920.
Two cups,a spoutedjug, a ladle,andsix
spoons arepartof a serviceof thirtypieces
now dividedbetweenthe FieldMuseumof
NaturalHistoryin Chicagoandthe MetropolitanMuseum.Thoughthe exactcircumstancesof the discoveryarenot known,the
allegedprovenance,Tivoli,cannotbe disproved,nor need it be doubtedthatthe
hoardwas, indeed,foundtogether:technique,style,andowner'smarksestablishthe
cohesionof the group.The date,as hasbeen
convincinglyargued,is the lateRepublican
period,probablythe middleof the firstcenturyB.C.whenthe civilwarsin Romemay
haveforcedthe familythatowned the silver
to buryit for safekeeping.
118. Spoutedpitcher.Height to top of rim

6.7 cm; diameterof bowl 8.24 cm;weight
149.4 grams.(20.49.4)
The foot andthe ringhandlearecastseparatelyandattachedto the body of the
pitcherwith solder.The bowl wasraisedto
the desiredheightandthe long spoutwas
subsequentlyshapedby stretchingthe
metalthroughhammering.Thereareno
inscriptions.
The shapeof this pitcher,with its long
troughlikespout,has beenassociatedwith
thatof a wine ladlewhichthe Roman
encyclopedistVarrocalleda trulla,but the
identificationis not absolutelycertain.
Toledo, 1977, pp. 98-109; idem, inArcheologie54
(June1981), pp. 53-59.
119-122. Fourspoons.Lengthsvarying
from14.66 to 15.36 cm;weightsvarying
from12.5 to 17 grams.(20.49.6-9)
115. Kyathos.Length17.5cm; diameter

of bowl 4.86 cm;weight 51.6 grams.
(20.49.5)
The ladleis of the traditionalform:the
hook on top of the stemterminatesin the
headof a duckwith eyes,ears,bill,and
plumageincised.Comparedto the earlier
EastGreeksilverladles,of whichthe
Museumhaseight, it is considerablysmaller
andits bowl is muchdeeper.The dotted
LatininscriptionestablishesSattia's
ownershipandthe weight (two ounces,
threescruples).Here the discrepancy
betweenactualandrecordedweightis a
merethreegrams.See alsonos. 116,117
Thesefourspoons,likethe six fromthe

sameset in Chicago,aremadein one piece
andhammeredratherthancast.The endsof
the handlesterminatein stylizedducks'
heads.A V-shapedgrooveon the underside
alongthe junctionof bowl andhandlesimulatesan attachmentby solderof two separateparts.
116,117. Pairofskyphoi. Both: heightto

top of rim9.5 cm;diameter10.7cm. Width
(20.49.2): 16 cm, (20.49.3): 16.24 cm;
weight (20.49.2): 467.2 grams,(20.49.3):
449.5 grams.
The bowls, handles,andfeet werecastseparately,andthe bowlswerefinishedon a
lathebeforethe handlesandfeet were
attachedwith solder.The ornamentationis
in the bestHellenistictradition:a kymation
on the outsideof the lip, a guillocheon the
shoulder,anda Lesbiankymationon the
foot. Eachcup hasconcentriccircleson the
undersideof the foot, a slightgrooveruns
allthe wayaroundthe insideof the rim,and
fartherdown a circleis lightlyincised.
Thatthe cupswereintendedas a pairis
provedby the Latindot-inscriptionon the
undersideof eachfoot thatstates,"[belonging to] Sattia,daughter(or wife) of Lucius,
two [cups],two pounds,elevenounces,
sevenscruples."Comparedto the current
weightof the two cups,this representsa loss
of 45 grams,whichmayhavebeencaused
by corrosionandcleaning.
123,124. Pairof cochlearia(snailspoons).

(20.49.11):length12.35 cm;weight6.1
grams.(20.49.12): length11.47cm;weight
5.9 grams
Cochleariawasthe Latintermfor spoons
used, as the namebetrays,for eatingsnails.
The pointedendsareadmirablysuitedfor
extractingthe snailfromthe shell.The Field
Museumin Chicagohassevenmoreof these
spoons.
65
-,' i -
',
66
--'
='
VI?
'L
125, 126. The 1asimene Silver.

A Swisscollector,the industrialistArnoldRuesch,hadin his villa
in Zuricha groupof silverobjectssaidto havebeenfoundin the
tombof a womannearthe LagoTrasimeno(the siteof Hannibal's
victory over the Romans in 217 B.C.). Seven years after his death, in
1936, his extensivecollectionof antiquitieswassold at auctionin

Lucerne.Of the silverhoardthreelots-a pairof strigilson a
ring,a combinationcombandpin, anda strainer-were boughtby
WilliamRandolphHearst,while a fourthobject,a silverpitcher,
stayedbehindin Switzerland.Mr.Hearst'ssilverpurchasesat that
saleneverwentto SanSimeonbutweresoldoverthe counterat
Gimbelsin New Yorkin 1943. Therethe hoardwasfurtherreduced
anddispersed:HarrisDunscombeColt acquiredthe strigilson a
ringandJosephBrummerboughtthe combandthe strainer.When
Brummerdied in 1947,allmemoryof the Trasimenehoardhadvanished.The combwasselectedby the MedievalDepartmentof the
Museumas one of manyobjectsboughtfromthe estate,in the
beliefthatit wasof the Migrationperiod,aboutfifthcenturyA.D.,
andthe silverstrainerwassold at auctionin New York(Parke
Bernet)on May11,1947,for $50 to the WaltersArtGallery.There
the matterwouldhaverested,but in April1961,I sawthe strigilsin
the collectionof HarrisDunscombeColt andthe ownergraciously
gavethemto the Museum.This pavedthe wayto havethe comb
fromthe samefindreclassifiedandtransferred
fromthe Medievalto
the GreekandRomanDepartmentin 1964, so thattodayhalfthe
Trasimenefindis once againunited.
125. Pairofstrigils on a ring.Roman,mid-firstcenturyB.C.
Diameterof ring 7.525 cm;lengthof eachstrigil21.7cm;total
weight109.3 grams.Gift of H. DunscombeColt, 1961(61.88)
The strigilsareworkedfromsinglestripsof silver(asis the one
fromBolsena,no. 109), but differfromthe earlierones in thatthe
handleproperis angular.The carryingringis flaton top but angular
belowthe decorativemoldings.The catchon top is formedby two
slots;the catchproperis attachedin one slot and,whenpivoted,
fitssnuglyinto the other.The protrudingendof the catchis in the
shapeof a stylizedduck'shead.The closestparallelto this pairof
strigilson a ringis furnishedby the silverathleticequipmentof the
samedatein Berlinthatalso includesanoil bottlewith a suspension
chain(cf. U. Gehrig,inBerlinerMuseen
23 [1973], pp. 41ff).
Bibliography:A. Oliver,Jr.,SilverfortheGods,Toledo, 1977, p. 112 (with earlier
references).
126. Combinationcombandpin. Roman,mid-firstcenturyB.C.

Length17.7cm;weight13.8 grams.FletcherFund,1947
(47.100.27)
The flatcombis set into a taperingoctagonalhandle,the junction
ornamentalcuff.In the areabelowthe
camouflagedby a rectangular
teeth,the two sidesof the combcombinedillustratea lion hunt.A
smallAmorkneelson a rockto the left andlooksback;for protection he haswrappeda cloakaroundhis left armandhandin the
time-honoredtraditionof lion huntersthatcanbe tracedbackin
Greekartto the sixthcenturyB.C.In his righthandhe holdsa
weapon,perhapsa bow.To hisleft a houndin frontof a treeleaps
to the attack.On the othersideof the combtheirprey,a lion,
chargesto the left, againin frontof a tree.The contoursof the
figures,the rock,andthe treesareengraved,with lighterlines
for innermarkings,andthe backgroundis stippled.
A similarsilvercomb-and-pinwasfoundin a Romantombof
a womannearAnconatogetherwith a pairof bronzestrigilson
an iron ring,a smallsilverkantharos,two gold earrings,a gold
necklace,threegold rings,anda bronzemirror.Forthe stippled
backgroundof the huntingscene,aswell as the breedof hound,
comparethe decorativebandon a smallsilverpitcherin Berlin(U.
Gehrig, in BerlinerMuseen23 [1973], p. 44, fig. 12), from the same

hoard that also gives us the best parallelsfor the strigils.
Bibliography:A. Oliver,Jr.,SilverfortheGods,Toledo, 1977, pp. 110-11.
67
127. Silverplate.Roman,latefirstto early

secondcenturyA.D. Height 0.8 cm;diameter 12.67 cm; weight 161grams.Rogers
Fund, 1918 (18.145.37)
The platewascastandfinishedon a lathe.
On the rim,in low relief,two femaleand
two maletheatricalmasksalternate:the
womenfaceleft, the men right.Behindeach
maskis a structureon whichcakesareset.
Besideeachmalemaskis a lagobolon(hunting stick)andnextto eachfemalemaskis a
thyrsos;the lagoboloiandthyrsoiareberibboned.Two of the four animalsbetween
the heads,a lionessanda hound,faceright;
the others,a wild goat anda wolf, arerunning to the left.
On the undersideof the platea dotted
Latininscription,M. C. FLA,givesthe initialsof an owner.A lightlyscratchedcursive
inscriptionhas been interpretedby AlanK.
Bowman to read "Aria ... nidis." The geni-
tive endingsuggestssomethinglike"Aria,
daughter of ... ides." For the masks and
animalscomparea silvercup in Vienna

(VII A 12).
Toledo, 1977, pp. 150-51.
68
128. Silverhandleof a vaseor lamp.Saidto

havebeenfoundnearRome. Roman,perhapsfirstcenturyA.D. Height 4.5 cm;
(10.210.41)
The casthandlewasonce attachedto a small
cup (or perhapsa lamp),the bodyof which
is now missing.The forepartof a panther
emergesfroma flowerandbendsover,both
frontlegs extendedhorizontally.The lower
finialshowsthe frontalheadof a lion in
relief.
Forthe modelingof the panther'shead,
the finialof a silverkyathosfromAsia
Minormaybe compared(Boston61.159;A.
Oliver,Jr.,SilverfortheGods,Toledo,1977,
p. 115).
129. Silvermirror.Saidto be fromEgypt.

Roman,firstcenturyA.D. Length,20.4 cm;
diameter12.11cm;weight 192 grams.
RogersFund,1907 (07.286.127)
The disk,the handle,andthe leaf-shaped
supportarecastseparatelyandjoinedwith
solder.The slightlyconvexside,whichwas
usedasthe mirroringsurface,is plain,
whereasthe slightlyconcavebackis decoratedwith a kymationframedby beading
alongthe rimandby concentriccircles.Also
on the back,to the rightof the leafsupport,
is a Latininscription(readby AlanK.
Bowman)thatgivesthe owner'sname,
"Iris,"followedby a ligaturebasedon the
letterA andthe weightof one-halfpound,

one ounce,ten scruples(202.5 grams),
whichcorrespondscloselyto its actualcurrentweight.Lossof weightis normalowing
to corrosionandrepeatedcleaning.
Toledo, 1977, p. 139, no. 92.
69
130. Silver handle of a large dish, parcel gilt.

Roman, second century A.D. Length 36.5
cm; weight 1438.5 grams. Rogers Fund,
1906 (06.1106)
The lower edge of the cast handle is
grooved to fit into the rim of a dish (now
lost), which probably had a diameter of 58.5
cm. There would have been another crescent-shaped cast handle on the opposite side
that, on the analogy of the pair found in the
harbor ofBizerte (Tunisia), would have
been the same shape and size but not necessarily identical in decoration.
This handle shows in relatively high relief
a lion hunt in a landscape. A lioness has
been cornered in her lair. One hunter, partly
shielded by an elevation in the ground and
keeping his balance by holding on to a
branch of the big tree in the center, attacks
from above; another, mounted and accompanied by a hound, attacks from the right. A
gazelle and a doe run away from the confrontation. Six animal heads, two of lions in
70
three-quarter view and four of goats and

eagles in profile, form part of the ornamental frame. The landscape, in addition to the
big tree in the center, also includes stylized
rocks, small plants lightly engraved on the
background, stumps of two other trees, and
the skull of a bull. The gilding is limited to
the leaves of the tree; the mantles of the
hunters; the saddle cloth; parts of the
rocky outcroppings; the mane, hooves, bridle, and rein of the horse; the fur of the
lioness, the deer, and the hound; the horns
of the gazelle; parts of the heads of the lion,
the eagles, and the goats; the skull; and
three unidentified objects on the ground
(two diamond-shaped, the third oval).
Toledo, 1977, cover,pp. 152-53 (with earlier
references).
131. Silverhandleof a dish,originallygilt.

Saidto havebeenfoundin Iranbetween
HamadanandKirmanshah.Roman,early
thirdcenturyA.D.Length,aspreserved,
22.7 cm;weight672.7 grams.Rogers
Fund, 1954 (54.11.8)
The dishto whichthishandlewasonce
attachedwouldhavehada diameterof
about38.1 cm. The loweredge of the handle is straight,not grooved,but tracesof
soldershowhow it wasattachedto the
bowl.The subject,the Indiantriumphof
Bacchus,is renderedin relativelyhigh relief,
whichnecessitateda castingtechnique
peculiarto some Romanvesselsof the third
century.Herethe highestpartsof eachfigurearecastseparatelyin purersilverandfitted into bedsnow readilyvisiblein the areas
wherethe insertshavefallenout andbeen
lost; alsomissingis the wheelof the chariot
of Bacchus.His processionmovesfromleft
to right.Two lionessespullthe vehicle.The
god is accompaniedby Panandthreesatyrs
who carryelephanttusks,a syrinx,a plant
with threeblossoms,anda stick.The motif
of a triumphis furtherstressedin the predellaby the two trophiesconsistingof

helmet,cuirass,andshields;the helmets,
greaves,andsheathedswordsnearthe middle; andtwo pairsof captivesseatednextto
the trophies.In the centerof the lowerregistera pairof cymbalsis arrangedsymmetrically.Of the gilding,only traces
remainin some of the folds of Bacchus's
tunic,the headof his thyrsos,the harnessof
one lioness,andone of the elephanttusks.
The Indiantriumphof Bacchuswaspopular
on Romansarcophagi,whichhelpto date
this silverreliefin the earlythirdratherthan
the second century A.D.
Bibliography:C. Alexander,inMMABulletinn.s. 14
(1954-55), pp. 64-67; A. M. McCann,RomanSarMuseumofArt, 1978, pp.
cophagiin TheMetropolitan
88-89, fig. 99.
Acknowlegments
The authorgratefullyacknowledgesthe support and help
he has receivedover the years from PierreAmandryand
AndrewOliver,Jr.,mostly on questions pertainingto the
East Greeksilver,and from Dr. MichaelPfrommeron the
problemsof Hellenistic chronology.Other, more specific
acknowledgmentsappearin the captions.Dr.JoanMertens,
Curatorand Administratorof Greekand RomanArt, renderedinvaluableassistancein the planningandorganization
of thisBulletin.The Departmentof Conservation(underthe
supervisionof JamesFrantz and RichardStone) worked
long hourswith CarlieCleveland,ShinichiDoi, andHermes
Knauerto cleanand restorecarefullythe manyobjectsthat
had not been on publicview for decades.WalterYeeof the
Photo Studio took greatpainsto photograph,and in many
casesto rephotograph,the gold and silverhere illustrated.
JoanHolt andSuePottershowedmuchpatiencein handling
a long and somewhat unwieldy text and struggling with
deadlines.
The Department also wishes to single out for special
thanksthe manydonors,whosenames(exceptfor thosewho
wish to remainanonymous)appearin the creditlines.Their
unstintingsupport,especiallyfor purchasesproposedin the
last eighteen years, is largely responsiblefor the present
strengthof the collection.
Bibliography:The bestgeneralaccountof GreekandRoman
gold andsilveris the lateD. E. Strong'shandbook,Greekand
RomanGoldandSilverPlate(1966).The exhibitioncatalogue
Silverfor the Gods(1977) by AndrewOliver,Jr., and Kurt
Lucknerbrings the story up to date and goes more deeply
into manyaspects.The entrieson the 119objectsshown in
Toledo,KansasCity,andFortWorth,fromOctober1977 to
April1978, arefullydocumented,andthe generalintroduction gives an excellentsurvey.
72
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A Greek and Roman Treasury The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin V 42 No 1 Summer 1984

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A Greek and Roman Treasury The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin V 42 No 1 Summer 1984

Enviado por

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,\

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the privilegesof the directorof the Metropolitan

providea firstcontactwith the wealthof the ancientclassical

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Of the five metals deemed precious today-gold, silver,

varyingforms continued for centuriesuntil a little over a

the island of Euboea, found with a gold cup and a silver

Bucchero(blackclay) bowl with headsin relief.Etruscan,sixth century

B.C. Rome, Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia

The earliestsilverphialemesomphalos(no. 12) is purely

Phialewith heads (no. 16)

Detail of silver-giltbowl (no. 10)

tasteandPersianmotifswerefreelyborrowed.Others,however, notably the large silver oinochoai with sculptural

Silverbowl (no. 19)

holds the tails of two recumbentlions on the rim, while his

Goddess with scepterand phiale. Red-figuredlekythos (oil container).

finestof them (no. 45) areengravedwith animalsanda battle

throughwhichwinewaspouredinto drinkingcups;they are

Detailof goldphiale(no. 86)

Libation scene. Red-figured stamnos (wine jar). Attic, c. 480

circumscribedpalmettes.Acorns as decorationon phialai

Two other richlydecoratedphialai(nos. 89, 90), said to

"Scythian"gold and silverwas workedby Greekcraftsmen,

Detail of sword sheath (no. 91)

The sackingof Syracusein 211 B.c. and of Tarantotwo

the Gallicsoldierin whose tomb they were found. Another

"suthina"("for the tomb") was added before they were

the beautyof Greekart. Fromthen on greatwealthpoured

divided between the Field Museumof NaturalHistory in

cups, the mug, the ladle, and the dishes,are engravedwith

the Cabinetdes Medailles,or the silverfrom the House of

The storyof GreekandRomansilverdoes not, of course,

The installationof the GreekandRomanTreasuryis

1,2. Pairof silverbowls. Saidto havebeenfoundtogetheron

triccirclesin slightreliefon the bottom.In

4. Goldcup. Saidto havebeenfound at

5-8. Four silver vases from Cyprus. Purchasedby subscription, 1874-1876.

6. Goblet.Cypriot,sixthcenturyB.C.Height 8.1 cm;diameterof

The wine cuphasa roundedbottomanda flaringrimandresembles

9-11. Three bowls from Cyprus. Purchasedby subscription,

8. Skyphos (wine cup). Cypriot, sixth to fifth century B.C. Height

9. Gold bowl, decorated in repousse. Cypriot, eighth century B.C.

Bibliography:TheSwedishCyprusExpedition,4,2 (1948), p. 160, fig. 33, no. 12.

4 (1946), pp. 3,13 f., pl. 12.

Bibliography:TheSwedishCyprusExpedition,4,2 (1948), p. 160, fig. 33, no. 13.

10. Silver-giltbowl. Cypriot,seventhcenturyB.C.Height 3.3 cm;diameter16.9 cm;

11. Silverbowl. Foundon Cyprus

sphinxes couchants are followed (clockwise)

13. Silverbowl. FromCyprus.Cypriot,

sixth century B.C.Height 5.5 cm; diameter '

1977,p. 24, no. 1 (withpreviousreferences).

14. Silver bowl. Found in Sardis. Greek,

15. Silversitula(pail)with swinginghandle.

16,17. Pairof silverphialai.Greek,sixthcenturyB.C.Left:height6.3 cm;diameter

19. Silverbowl, with omphalos.Greek,

20-24. Five silver bowls.

25-29. Five silver phialai. Greek, sixth

25. Offset lip, shallow omphalos, carination

29. Same type, but smaller.Height 3.2 cm;

28. Flaring rim, small omphalos, nine lobes