Death of Penthesileia

Title: Death of Penthesileia
Repository: British Museum
Alternative: Amphora Old Catalogue 554 Vase B210
Creator: Exekias
Photographer: Lowenstam, Steven
Creator Display: attributed to Exekias (Ancient Greek vase painter, active 540-520 BCE); Exekias (Ancient Greek potter, active 540-520 BCE)
Description: Black-figured pottery amphora. Under each handle, two patterns of spirals. (a) Achilles slaying Penthesilea: Achilles steps to right, bearded, with long tresses, fully armed, high-crested helmet and short striped chiton, and has beaten down the Amazon queen Penthesilea on one knee, and plunges spear into her throat. She has a high-crested helmet with cheek-pieces and serpent in relief, short diapered chiton, over which is a pardalis (leopard skin), sword and shield, and looks back at him, thrusting vainly with spear; a stream of blood gushes from her wound. In front of Achilles is inscribed: ΑΧΙΛΕΥΣ; in front of Penthesilea: ΠΕΝΘΕΣΙΛΥΑ. On the left is inscribed: Έχσηκίας έπτοίησε; on the right: Όνητορίδης καλός. (b) Dionysos and Oinopion: Dionysos to left (facing left), bearded, with hair looped up and wreathed with ivy, long white chiton and embroidered himation, holds in left hand vine-branches, and with right gives a cantharos to his son, Oinopion, who stands facing him, nude and beardless, his hair looped up with a myrtle wreath, holding an oinochoe in right hand. In front of Dionysos is inscribed: ΣΟΣΝΟΙΔ (retr.), Διόνυσος; above Oinopion: OINOΠION; behind him: Όνητορίδης καλός, as on (a). --The British Museum A Catalogue of the Greek and Etruscan Vases in the British Museum, London, William Nicol, 1851; Walters, H B; Forsdyke, E J; Smith, C H, Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum, I-IV, London, BMP, 1893; Walters, H B, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum: Great Britain 5, British Museum 4, London, BMP, 1929
Inscription: Side A: In front of Achilles is inscribed: ΑΧΙΛΕΥΣ; in front of Penthesilea: ΠΕΝΘΕΣΙΛΥΑ. On the left is inscribed: Έχσηκίας έπτοίησε; on the right: Όνητορίδης καλός.; Side B: In front of Dionysos is inscribed: ΣΟΣΝΟΙΔ (retr.), Διόνυσος; above Oinopion: OINOΠION; behind him: Όνητορίδης καλός, as on (a).
View: Front
Coverage: Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece (creation) Vulci, Lazio, Italy (discovery)
Temporal: ca. 540-530 BCE
Subject: Myth between Iliad and Odyssey Penthesilea
Style Period: Black-figure Attic (Mainland Greek pottery styles)
Work Type: amphorae (storage vessels)
Date: -0540/-0530
Identifier: Lowenstam_VRC_01481
Item Locator: Box 4, Section 4
Rights: In Copyright
Dc Rights Holder: University of Oregon, Department of Classics
Local Collection Name: Steven Lowenstam Collection
Type: Image
Format: image/tiff
Measurements: Height: 41 cm Width: 29 cm Diameter: 18 cm (This refers to the mouth of the vase.)
Material: pottery | painted; incised
Set: Lowenstam Collection of Ancient Western Art and Archaeology
Primary Set: Lowenstam Collection of Ancient Western Art and Archaeology
Institution: University of Oregon
Cultural Context: Attic (culture) Archaic (Greek culture or period)
Id Current Repository: 1836,0224.127