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- Description
- Pottery: black-figured amphora. On the neck, double honeysuckle. Under the handles, patterns of palmettes and spirals; below, maeander and lotus-buds. (a) In the centre Memnon to right, bearded and fully armed; on his helmet the figure of a dog, the tail supporting the crest; he has long curls ending in spirals, a white cuirass, probably of linen, richly ornamented, short striped chiton, shield and spear. On either side facing him is an beardless African attendant; the one on the right has a short striped chiton and a pelta, on which is a pellet; the other has a cuirass and short diapered chiton; each has a club in right hand. Above Memnon behind is inscribed έπ]οίησ(ε)ν (?); in front: AMAΣIΣ, Αμασις. (b) Achilles slaying Penthesilea: Achilles to right, fully armed, bearded, with hair as Memnon's in (a), short striped chiton, sword, and Boeotian shield, is thrusting with spear at Penthesilea, who retreats to right. She has long tresses, high-crested helmet with cheek-pieces, and meander border on crest, cuirass, and short striped chiton, and defends herself with spear and shield with device of an ivy-wreath. --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
- Description
- Pottery: black-figured kylix ('Siana' shape). Designs black on red ground; purple and white accessories. Underneath the foot, at the point of insertion of the stem, is a spike, an imitation of metal-work. Interior, in a medallion with borders of dots and tongue-pattern: Ajax seizing Cassandra at the Palladion: Ajax to right, bearded, with high-crested helmet, white cuirass with incised lines, short purple chiton with chevron border, purple greaves, sword-belt and sheath, drawn sword in right hand, is about to slay Cassandra, whom he has seized with left hand. She crouches to left at the feet of the Palladion, her head being hidden behind it; she is nude, with left hand extended in supplication to Ajax. The goddess is represented standing to left, with long tresses, high-crested helmet, long diapered chiton with chevron border, spear brandished in right hand, shield painted purple with Gorgoneion in white, the features incised, eyes and tongue purple. Behind is a Siren to right looking back, with wings outspread, long hair and fillet. In the field are two lotus-buds. In the exergue, a row of lotus-buds. Exterior: Two friezes with ivy-wreath above, and borders of tongue-pattern and dots below: (a) Apotheosis of Heracles: On the left is Zeus seated on a throne to right, bearded, with long tresses, fillet, long white chiton with incised lines forming a lozenge-pattern and border of the same, richly diapered himation with maeander border, in left hand thunderbolt, sandals on feet, which rest on a footstool. The throne is richly inlaid, with two horizontal rails each side, between which are volutes, the back ending in a snake with head turned back; at the end of the upper rail on the right side is a large lotus-bud. Behind Zeus is Hera similarly seated, with earrings, necklace, long purple chiton, with borders of wavy and chevron patterns, the middle part diapered, and purple himation, drawn over her head, which she raises with left hand, sandals on her feet, which rest on a footstool. Her throne is similar to that of Zeus; at the back is a spiral instead of the snake. Before her on a footstool stands Hebe to left, with long hair tied in a club, fillet, long diapered chiton tied at the waist, with lozenge border and purple diploidion, right hand extended as if supplicating Hera. Before Zeus advance Hermes and Athene leading up Heracles; Hermes is bearded, with long tresses, short white chiton with lozenge border, richly embroidered, purple chlamys with wavy border, petasos, endromides with the usual tags behind as well as before, caduceus in left hand, right extended. Athena has long hair, high-crested helmet, long diapered chiton with chevron border, aegis with snakes projecting on both sides, shield painted purple with Gorgoneion in white, as in the inside design. Heracles has a chiton as Hermes, over which is the lion's skin drawn over his head and tied on his breast, right hand extended; he is followed by Artemis, with long hair tied back, curls in front, fillet with zigzags, long diapered chiton with lozenge border, tied at the waist, and purple diploidion, in right hand two arrows, in left her bow; and Ares, with high-crested helmet, short purple chiton with lozenge border, over which is a skin, sword-belt and kibisis (sack) slung round shoulder, and endromides, right hand extended. (b) Combat of two warriors (perhaps Achilles and Memnon) thrusting with spears: The one on the left has a high-crested helmet, chiton and skin as Ares in (a), sword at side, purple greaves, and shield painted purple inside; the other has a high-crested helmet, richly diapered chiton, sheath at side with lozenge-pattern incised, white greaves, and shield with device of an eagle flying to left. Behind each is a female figure looking on, with long hair, fillet, and long purple chiton with diploidion; the one on the left has spear in left hand, the chiton of the other is richly diapered. Behind each is a youthful warrior on horseback; the one on the left has helmet, short purple chiton, white greaves, spear, and shield painted purple inside; his horse has white mane and tail, and he is leading a second horse, which is white. The other has a high-crested helmet, spear, and white shield with device of a six-leaved flower in purple; he also leads a second horse. The tails of the horses appear to be plaited. Behind each warrior is a lotus-bud; on the right, under the handle, is a warrior, as the last one, crouching on one knee to left, with white greaves, shield painted purple with device as last, in white. Under the other handle is a Sphinx seated to right looking back, with long hair, fillet, and wings outspread. --The British Museum, Walters, H B; Forsdyke, E J; Smith, C H, Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum, I-IV, London, BMP, 1893; Smith, A H; Pryce, F N, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum: Great Britain 2, British Museum 2, London, BMP, 1926
423. Nessos and Deianeira
- Description
- Pottery: black-figured lekythos (oil or perfume flask). Designs black on red ground, with incised lines and accessories of white and purple. On the neck, a moulded ring. On the shoulder: Two hounds at full speed to right pursuing a hare which looks back at them. In the field, leaves. On the body, Nessos carrying off Deianeira: The Centaur gallops to right, looking back: he has long hair, and carries Deianeira in his arms; she has long hair with a fillet, long purple chiton, and arms extended; her flesh is painted white. Behind Nessos runs Heracles pursuing, bearded, with a fillet, short purple chiton with chevron border, sword and double cross-belt, left hand raised, in right his club; his face is painted purple. Confronting the Centaur is a panther rearing to left, with face turned to the front. In the field, rosettes and leaves. --The British Museum, Walters, H B; Forsdyke, E J; Smith, C H, Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum, I-IV, London, BMP, 1893
- Description
- Marble reliefs from the Harpy Tomb. Chest with reliefs on all four sides which originally surmounted a Lycian sepulchral tower. 1. North side. In the centre a young armed man stands on the left offering a helmet to a bearded man seated on the right. The former wears sandals, greaves, short chiton with sleeves of crinkled material, the lower part in flat pleats with high zigzag edge, and cuirass with leathern flaps; at his left side is a short broad sword, the scabbard ending in a knob; in front of his chest projects a bird's head and neck, the sword-handle; it is higher than the scabbard, the blade being curved. The back of the head is broken away and the face is weathered. His left hand supports a large shield which stands on edge on the ground before him; with his right hand he extends a plumed Corinthian helmet to the seated figure, who raises his right hand to receive it. The latter wears sandals, sleeved Ionic chiton and mantle thrown over his back, left shoulder and knees. His right hand holds a spear or sceptre sloped against the left shoulder. He has a moustache and pointed beard, long nose and almond-shaped eyes, the inner angle curving, the upper lid prolonged in an incised line. The head is disproportionately large and is lost at the back. The outline of the hair is waved. The seat is a stool with turned legs, upon which is a cushion; underneath it is a small quadruped with thick body, short legs, and pointed snout lowered to the ground to left, possibly a bear (the identification by some writers as a pig is wrong, as the animal has paws). On the angle-slabs, facing outwards, are the figures formerly known as Harpies, but which are now identified as Sirens. They have the head, breasts and arms of women; the body ends like an egg, with a bird's spreading tail and talons attached. Long wings spring from the shoulders and under the arms; the ends are continued on the centre slab. The figures are shown as nude save that on the elbows are the crinkled sleeves of chitons. The hair is worked in small waves and confined by a pointed diadem; it falls in long tresses on the left figure, and is looped up at the back on the right. Their features wear a soft smile, as they fly off carrying diminutive female figures in their arms clasped against their breasts by both hands and talons. The latter wear long crinkled chitons with sleeves and long overfolds; the feet are bare, their hair is long and falls loosely; on the right, the hair is waved, with a diadem; on the left it is treated as a plane with horizontal grooves. Each raises the inner hand to the chin of the Harpy, the outer hand hangs down; the one on the right holds in the hanging hand an object now broken, perhaps a patera. On the extreme right in the corner squats a diminutive woman in an attitude of grief, her chin resting on both hands, her head turned upwards towards the siren. She wears a long crinkled chiton with large loose sleeves and a diadem on her hair, which hangs loose at the back. The mouth and front edge of forearms and legs are broken away. 2. South side. The angle-slabs are practically replicas of those on the North side; in each is a Siren carrying off a female. On the left slab the hair of the Siren is looped up-behind, two, short curls falling in front of the ear; the female raises its right hand, while the left arm hangs limply; it is clasped more tightly than the other. On the right slab the woman raises both hands, and the hair of the Siren falls in long plaits. Both women have waved hair with diadems. The right bottom corner of the left angle slab is missing; there is no seated mourner. The central group consists of a man enthroned on the left, before whom stands a figure of uncertain sex. The seated man is beardless, with full features and heavy forms; he wears Ionic chiton, mantle over the left shoulder, and shoes with turned-up toes, and is seated on a throne with turned legs, cushion and high back. A spear, or sceptre, leans against his left shoulder. His hands are extended before him, the right holding an apple, the left holding aloft a pomegranate. The back of his head and the back leg of the throne are missing. The head and shoulders of the standing figure are broken off, but the outline of the nose and chin, which was beardless, may be traced on the slab; it has generally been interpreted as male; the left hand holds a fluttering dove in front by the wing, the right hand is raised with fingers extended in an attitude of adoration; the dress consists of Ionic chiton, mantle and sandals. 3. East side. This side has suffered most from weathering. The central group consists of a bearded man enthroned on the left to whom a youth brings offerings. The throne has legs terminating in animal's feet, a high sloping back, a brace and a handrail supported by a small Triton who is extended with body to front and bearded head to right, the hands outstretched as supporters; a cushion is indicated. The details of the man's face are weathered; he has a long pointed beard, and wears Ionic chiton and mantle, the end of the latter falling over the back of the chair; his feet, which seem to be bare, rest on a cushion the front of which, with the toes, is broken away, as is also the back leg of the chair. His left hand rests on the staff of a spear or sceptre his right holds a poppy (?) before his face. Before him is a diminutive draped boy, holding out to him a cock held in the right hand, and in the left a fruit. The lower part of this figure is missing; it may have been shown as kneeling. On the left angle slab two draped figures advance towards the centre, both wearing Ionic chitons and mantles; the first has sandals, the second is barefoot. The first holds a pomegranate suspended from the left hand and in the right holds up a flower (?). The second draws up an edge of the mantle with the left hand, and with the right raises a poppy-head (?) to the face. The sex of these two persons has been much disputed; the pose of the hands, the attributes and the arrangement of the drapery compare with the women on the West side; on the other hand, the contours are indefinite, and therefore probably male; the hair is short like the man on the right angle slab, and the second of the two appears to have a short pointed beard; this figure is remarkably corpulent. On the right angle slab, a youth advances towards the centre. His feet are broken away; on his farther side is a dog looking up at him, its tail on the right edge of the slab. He wears Ionic chiton and mantle over the left shoulder and his hair is short at the back. He holds a stick with a curved handle in his left hand; his right hand holds up an object, which is broken away save for a handle underneath his fingers, but which was in part of metal separately attached, for which the rivet hole remains; it may have been a cup on a tall stem. The feet are missing. All the persons on this side, save the boy in the centre, had metal circlets about their hair; the rivet holes remain at the back of the heads. 4. West side. In each angle slab an enthroned woman faces the centre. The woman on the left has a broad pointed diadem round her hair, which is waved over the forehead and tied in a knot behind, the ends falling on her shoulders. She wears Ionic chiton with long full sleeves down which runs a broad flat seam-strip, and a mantle over the left shoulder and knees; the end of the chiton falls like a bird's wing under the seat; on her wrists are bracelets. Her right hand is extended holding a libation-bowl on her knee; her left was raised holding some object which is now broken away. On her feet are shoes with upturned toes; she is seated on a throne with high back (the top broken), turned legs, a handrail supported by a seated sphinx to right and ending in a ram's head, cushion and footstool (a fragment rejoined and the right side missing). The footstool is in one piece with the throne, as on the Branchidae statues. The woman on the right is similar save that the hair is looped up; in her left hand she holds out a pomegranate, with her right she raises a poppy flower to her face. Her throne is of different design; the back is curved and ends in swan's head; there is no Sphinx under the handrail, which ends in a ram's head; the legs are rectangular with volute indents and terminate above in volutes. The left bottom corner of the footstool is missing; it is thicker than the other and independent of the throne. On the centre slab, three women move to right in procession towards the right seated figure. They are similar save in the attitude of the hands, and have diadems round the hair, which falls on back and breast in long tresses, Ionic sleeved chitons and mantles, the ends of which fall at the side on the first figure, down back and front on the other two. The first two have shoes with turned-up toes, the feet and legs below knees of the third are broken away, save for one bare toe. The first draws the side of her mantle in front of her face with the left hand and supports a fold in front of her hips with the right. The second holds a pomegranate in front of her with the right, while the left raises a poppy to her nose. The third holds up an egg before her face, while the left holds up the drapery. All wear bracelets. On the left the centre slab is prolonged above to form a lintel for the door, and the left angle slab is correspondingly cut back over the libation-bowl of the left seated figure to receive it. Above the door is a flat moulding and above this a relief of a cow to left suckling a calf. The shaft was of limestone, the reliefs of large-grained marble, now weathered; they are made up of central slabs and angle-pieces. The subjects are set in a frame; at the sides and at the top is a flat moulding, curving below into the relief-ground and projecting 0.023m; the relief of the figures occasionally projects beyond it. At the bottom is a straight base-line below which is a cyma recta. The north, south and east sides are similar in composition; in the central slab a seated figure receives offerings, while angle-pieces are filled by subsidiary figures. The western side contained the entrance to the chamber and shows seated figures in the angle-pieces and a procession in the centre, with an independent relief in the space over the door. The reliefs are worked with elaboration of detail, fleshy smiling faces and soft draperies that reveal the contours. The west side is not only the best preserved and most important, but is superior in style; the proportions are better, the scale smaller, the heads being kept below the moulding. On the North and East (and possibly the South) sides, all heads cut into the moulding, except the Siren groups which, however, extend over the side border, as if to emphasise the idea of departure. On these three sides the figures are thick and clumsy. The hair is, with one exception, delicately worked in rows of waved lines, cut short on the neck for the men, loose or looped up on the women. The eye shows a raised eyeball and raised lashes, the inner angle sometimes blunted. The drapery is carefully finished; on the chitons of the children the crinkling is convex, on the other figures it is worked in narrow concave bands. The wider folds of the mantles are also curved. The lower edges of the sleeves are formally drawn forward. --The British Museum, Pryce, F N; Smith, A H, Catalogue of Greek Sculpture in the British Museum, I-III, London, BMP, 1892
- Description
- Marble reliefs from the Harpy Tomb. Chest with reliefs on all four sides which originally surmounted a Lycian sepulchral tower. 1. North side. In the centre a young armed man stands on the left offering a helmet to a bearded man seated on the right. The former wears sandals, greaves, short chiton with sleeves of crinkled material, the lower part in flat pleats with high zigzag edge, and cuirass with leathern flaps; at his left side is a short broad sword, the scabbard ending in a knob; in front of his chest projects a bird's head and neck, the sword-handle; it is higher than the scabbard, the blade being curved. The back of the head is broken away and the face is weathered. His left hand supports a large shield which stands on edge on the ground before him; with his right hand he extends a plumed Corinthian helmet to the seated figure, who raises his right hand to receive it. The latter wears sandals, sleeved Ionic chiton and mantle thrown over his back, left shoulder and knees. His right hand holds a spear or sceptre sloped against the left shoulder. He has a moustache and pointed beard, long nose and almond-shaped eyes, the inner angle curving, the upper lid prolonged in an incised line. The head is disproportionately large and is lost at the back. The outline of the hair is waved. The seat is a stool with turned legs, upon which is a cushion; underneath it is a small quadruped with thick body, short legs, and pointed snout lowered to the ground to left, possibly a bear (the identification by some writers as a pig is wrong, as the animal has paws). On the angle-slabs, facing outwards, are the figures formerly known as Harpies, but which are now identified as Sirens. They have the head, breasts and arms of women; the body ends like an egg, with a bird's spreading tail and talons attached. Long wings spring from the shoulders and under the arms; the ends are continued on the centre slab. The figures are shown as nude save that on the elbows are the crinkled sleeves of chitons. The hair is worked in small waves and confined by a pointed diadem; it falls in long tresses on the left figure, and is looped up at the back on the right. Their features wear a soft smile, as they fly off carrying diminutive female figures in their arms clasped against their breasts by both hands and talons. The latter wear long crinkled chitons with sleeves and long overfolds; the feet are bare, their hair is long and falls loosely; on the right, the hair is waved, with a diadem; on the left it is treated as a plane with horizontal grooves. Each raises the inner hand to the chin of the Harpy, the outer hand hangs down; the one on the right holds in the hanging hand an object now broken, perhaps a patera. On the extreme right in the corner squats a diminutive woman in an attitude of grief, her chin resting on both hands, her head turned upwards towards the siren. She wears a long crinkled chiton with large loose sleeves and a diadem on her hair, which hangs loose at the back. The mouth and front edge of forearms and legs are broken away. 2. South side. The angle-slabs are practically replicas of those on the North side; in each is a Siren carrying off a female. On the left slab the hair of the Siren is looped up-behind, two, short curls falling in front of the ear; the female raises its right hand, while the left arm hangs limply; it is clasped more tightly than the other. On the right slab the woman raises both hands, and the hair of the Siren falls in long plaits. Both women have waved hair with diadems. The right bottom corner of the left angle slab is missing; there is no seated mourner. The central group consists of a man enthroned on the left, before whom stands a figure of uncertain sex. The seated man is beardless, with full features and heavy forms; he wears Ionic chiton, mantle over the left shoulder, and shoes with turned-up toes, and is seated on a throne with turned legs, cushion and high back. A spear, or sceptre, leans against his left shoulder. His hands are extended before him, the right holding an apple, the left holding aloft a pomegranate. The back of his head and the back leg of the throne are missing. The head and shoulders of the standing figure are broken off, but the outline of the nose and chin, which was beardless, may be traced on the slab; it has generally been interpreted as male; the left hand holds a fluttering dove in front by the wing, the right hand is raised with fingers extended in an attitude of adoration; the dress consists of Ionic chiton, mantle and sandals. 3. East side. This side has suffered most from weathering. The central group consists of a bearded man enthroned on the left to whom a youth brings offerings. The throne has legs terminating in animal's feet, a high sloping back, a brace and a handrail supported by a small Triton who is extended with body to front and bearded head to right, the hands outstretched as supporters; a cushion is indicated. The details of the man's face are weathered; he has a long pointed beard, and wears Ionic chiton and mantle, the end of the latter falling over the back of the chair; his feet, which seem to be bare, rest on a cushion the front of which, with the toes, is broken away, as is also the back leg of the chair. His left hand rests on the staff of a spear or sceptre his right holds a poppy (?) before his face. Before him is a diminutive draped boy, holding out to him a cock held in the right hand, and in the left a fruit. The lower part of this figure is missing; it may have been shown as kneeling. On the left angle slab two draped figures advance towards the centre, both wearing Ionic chitons and mantles; the first has sandals, the second is barefoot. The first holds a pomegranate suspended from the left hand and in the right holds up a flower (?). The second draws up an edge of the mantle with the left hand, and with the right raises a poppy-head (?) to the face. The sex of these two persons has been much disputed; the pose of the hands, the attributes and the arrangement of the drapery compare with the women on the West side; on the other hand, the contours are indefinite, and therefore probably male; the hair is short like the man on the right angle slab, and the second of the two appears to have a short pointed beard; this figure is remarkably corpulent. On the right angle slab, a youth advances towards the centre. His feet are broken away; on his farther side is a dog looking up at him, its tail on the right edge of the slab. He wears Ionic chiton and mantle over the left shoulder and his hair is short at the back. He holds a stick with a curved handle in his left hand; his right hand holds up an object, which is broken away save for a handle underneath his fingers, but which was in part of metal separately attached, for which the rivet hole remains; it may have been a cup on a tall stem. The feet are missing. All the persons on this side, save the boy in the centre, had metal circlets about their hair; the rivet holes remain at the back of the heads. 4. West side. In each angle slab an enthroned woman faces the centre. The woman on the left has a broad pointed diadem round her hair, which is waved over the forehead and tied in a knot behind, the ends falling on her shoulders. She wears Ionic chiton with long full sleeves down which runs a broad flat seam-strip, and a mantle over the left shoulder and knees; the end of the chiton falls like a bird's wing under the seat; on her wrists are bracelets. Her right hand is extended holding a libation-bowl on her knee; her left was raised holding some object which is now broken away. On her feet are shoes with upturned toes; she is seated on a throne with high back (the top broken), turned legs, a handrail supported by a seated sphinx to right and ending in a ram's head, cushion and footstool (a fragment rejoined and the right side missing). The footstool is in one piece with the throne, as on the Branchidae statues. The woman on the right is similar save that the hair is looped up; in her left hand she holds out a pomegranate, with her right she raises a poppy flower to her face. Her throne is of different design; the back is curved and ends in swan's head; there is no Sphinx under the handrail, which ends in a ram's head; the legs are rectangular with volute indents and terminate above in volutes. The left bottom corner of the footstool is missing; it is thicker than the other and independent of the throne. On the centre slab, three women move to right in procession towards the right seated figure. They are similar save in the attitude of the hands, and have diadems round the hair, which falls on back and breast in long tresses, Ionic sleeved chitons and mantles, the ends of which fall at the side on the first figure, down back and front on the other two. The first two have shoes with turned-up toes, the feet and legs below knees of the third are broken away, save for one bare toe. The first draws the side of her mantle in front of her face with the left hand and supports a fold in front of her hips with the right. The second holds a pomegranate in front of her with the right, while the left raises a poppy to her nose. The third holds up an egg before her face, while the left holds up the drapery. All wear bracelets. On the left the centre slab is prolonged above to form a lintel for the door, and the left angle slab is correspondingly cut back over the libation-bowl of the left seated figure to receive it. Above the door is a flat moulding and above this a relief of a cow to left suckling a calf. The shaft was of limestone, the reliefs of large-grained marble, now weathered; they are made up of central slabs and angle-pieces. The subjects are set in a frame; at the sides and at the top is a flat moulding, curving below into the relief-ground and projecting 0.023m; the relief of the figures occasionally projects beyond it. At the bottom is a straight base-line below which is a cyma recta. The north, south and east sides are similar in composition; in the central slab a seated figure receives offerings, while angle-pieces are filled by subsidiary figures. The western side contained the entrance to the chamber and shows seated figures in the angle-pieces and a procession in the centre, with an independent relief in the space over the door. The reliefs are worked with elaboration of detail, fleshy smiling faces and soft draperies that reveal the contours. The west side is not only the best preserved and most important, but is superior in style; the proportions are better, the scale smaller, the heads being kept below the moulding. On the North and East (and possibly the South) sides, all heads cut into the moulding, except the Siren groups which, however, extend over the side border, as if to emphasise the idea of departure. On these three sides the figures are thick and clumsy. The hair is, with one exception, delicately worked in rows of waved lines, cut short on the neck for the men, loose or looped up on the women. The eye shows a raised eyeball and raised lashes, the inner angle sometimes blunted. The drapery is carefully finished; on the chitons of the children the crinkling is convex, on the other figures it is worked in narrow concave bands. The wider folds of the mantles are also curved. The lower edges of the sleeves are formally drawn forward. --The British Museum, Pryce, F N; Smith, A H, Catalogue of Greek Sculpture in the British Museum, I-III, London, BMP, 1892
- Description
- Marble reliefs from the Harpy Tomb. Chest with reliefs on all four sides which originally surmounted a Lycian sepulchral tower. 1. North side. In the centre a young armed man stands on the left offering a helmet to a bearded man seated on the right. The former wears sandals, greaves, short chiton with sleeves of crinkled material, the lower part in flat pleats with high zigzag edge, and cuirass with leathern flaps; at his left side is a short broad sword, the scabbard ending in a knob; in front of his chest projects a bird's head and neck, the sword-handle; it is higher than the scabbard, the blade being curved. The back of the head is broken away and the face is weathered. His left hand supports a large shield which stands on edge on the ground before him; with his right hand he extends a plumed Corinthian helmet to the seated figure, who raises his right hand to receive it. The latter wears sandals, sleeved Ionic chiton and mantle thrown over his back, left shoulder and knees. His right hand holds a spear or sceptre sloped against the left shoulder. He has a moustache and pointed beard, long nose and almond-shaped eyes, the inner angle curving, the upper lid prolonged in an incised line. The head is disproportionately large and is lost at the back. The outline of the hair is waved. The seat is a stool with turned legs, upon which is a cushion; underneath it is a small quadruped with thick body, short legs, and pointed snout lowered to the ground to left, possibly a bear (the identification by some writers as a pig is wrong, as the animal has paws). On the angle-slabs, facing outwards, are the figures formerly known as Harpies, but which are now identified as Sirens. They have the head, breasts and arms of women; the body ends like an egg, with a bird's spreading tail and talons attached. Long wings spring from the shoulders and under the arms; the ends are continued on the centre slab. The figures are shown as nude save that on the elbows are the crinkled sleeves of chitons. The hair is worked in small waves and confined by a pointed diadem; it falls in long tresses on the left figure, and is looped up at the back on the right. Their features wear a soft smile, as they fly off carrying diminutive female figures in their arms clasped against their breasts by both hands and talons. The latter wear long crinkled chitons with sleeves and long overfolds; the feet are bare, their hair is long and falls loosely; on the right, the hair is waved, with a diadem; on the left it is treated as a plane with horizontal grooves. Each raises the inner hand to the chin of the Harpy, the outer hand hangs down; the one on the right holds in the hanging hand an object now broken, perhaps a patera. On the extreme right in the corner squats a diminutive woman in an attitude of grief, her chin resting on both hands, her head turned upwards towards the siren. She wears a long crinkled chiton with large loose sleeves and a diadem on her hair, which hangs loose at the back. The mouth and front edge of forearms and legs are broken away. 2. South side. The angle-slabs are practically replicas of those on the North side; in each is a Siren carrying off a female. On the left slab the hair of the Siren is looped up-behind, two, short curls falling in front of the ear; the female raises its right hand, while the left arm hangs limply; it is clasped more tightly than the other. On the right slab the woman raises both hands, and the hair of the Siren falls in long plaits. Both women have waved hair with diadems. The right bottom corner of the left angle slab is missing; there is no seated mourner. The central group consists of a man enthroned on the left, before whom stands a figure of uncertain sex. The seated man is beardless, with full features and heavy forms; he wears Ionic chiton, mantle over the left shoulder, and shoes with turned-up toes, and is seated on a throne with turned legs, cushion and high back. A spear, or sceptre, leans against his left shoulder. His hands are extended before him, the right holding an apple, the left holding aloft a pomegranate. The back of his head and the back leg of the throne are missing. The head and shoulders of the standing figure are broken off, but the outline of the nose and chin, which was beardless, may be traced on the slab; it has generally been interpreted as male; the left hand holds a fluttering dove in front by the wing, the right hand is raised with fingers extended in an attitude of adoration; the dress consists of Ionic chiton, mantle and sandals. 3. East side. This side has suffered most from weathering. The central group consists of a bearded man enthroned on the left to whom a youth brings offerings. The throne has legs terminating in animal's feet, a high sloping back, a brace and a handrail supported by a small Triton who is extended with body to front and bearded head to right, the hands outstretched as supporters; a cushion is indicated. The details of the man's face are weathered; he has a long pointed beard, and wears Ionic chiton and mantle, the end of the latter falling over the back of the chair; his feet, which seem to be bare, rest on a cushion the front of which, with the toes, is broken away, as is also the back leg of the chair. His left hand rests on the staff of a spear or sceptre his right holds a poppy (?) before his face. Before him is a diminutive draped boy, holding out to him a cock held in the right hand, and in the left a fruit. The lower part of this figure is missing; it may have been shown as kneeling. On the left angle slab two draped figures advance towards the centre, both wearing Ionic chitons and mantles; the first has sandals, the second is barefoot. The first holds a pomegranate suspended from the left hand and in the right holds up a flower (?). The second draws up an edge of the mantle with the left hand, and with the right raises a poppy-head (?) to the face. The sex of these two persons has been much disputed; the pose of the hands, the attributes and the arrangement of the drapery compare with the women on the West side; on the other hand, the contours are indefinite, and therefore probably male; the hair is short like the man on the right angle slab, and the second of the two appears to have a short pointed beard; this figure is remarkably corpulent. On the right angle slab, a youth advances towards the centre. His feet are broken away; on his farther side is a dog looking up at him, its tail on the right edge of the slab. He wears Ionic chiton and mantle over the left shoulder and his hair is short at the back. He holds a stick with a curved handle in his left hand; his right hand holds up an object, which is broken away save for a handle underneath his fingers, but which was in part of metal separately attached, for which the rivet hole remains; it may have been a cup on a tall stem. The feet are missing. All the persons on this side, save the boy in the centre, had metal circlets about their hair; the rivet holes remain at the back of the heads. 4. West side. In each angle slab an enthroned woman faces the centre. The woman on the left has a broad pointed diadem round her hair, which is waved over the forehead and tied in a knot behind, the ends falling on her shoulders. She wears Ionic chiton with long full sleeves down which runs a broad flat seam-strip, and a mantle over the left shoulder and knees; the end of the chiton falls like a bird's wing under the seat; on her wrists are bracelets. Her right hand is extended holding a libation-bowl on her knee; her left was raised holding some object which is now broken away. On her feet are shoes with upturned toes; she is seated on a throne with high back (the top broken), turned legs, a handrail supported by a seated sphinx to right and ending in a ram's head, cushion and footstool (a fragment rejoined and the right side missing). The footstool is in one piece with the throne, as on the Branchidae statues. The woman on the right is similar save that the hair is looped up; in her left hand she holds out a pomegranate, with her right she raises a poppy flower to her face. Her throne is of different design; the back is curved and ends in swan's head; there is no Sphinx under the handrail, which ends in a ram's head; the legs are rectangular with volute indents and terminate above in volutes. The left bottom corner of the footstool is missing; it is thicker than the other and independent of the throne. On the centre slab, three women move to right in procession towards the right seated figure. They are similar save in the attitude of the hands, and have diadems round the hair, which falls on back and breast in long tresses, Ionic sleeved chitons and mantles, the ends of which fall at the side on the first figure, down back and front on the other two. The first two have shoes with turned-up toes, the feet and legs below knees of the third are broken away, save for one bare toe. The first draws the side of her mantle in front of her face with the left hand and supports a fold in front of her hips with the right. The second holds a pomegranate in front of her with the right, while the left raises a poppy to her nose. The third holds up an egg before her face, while the left holds up the drapery. All wear bracelets. On the left the centre slab is prolonged above to form a lintel for the door, and the left angle slab is correspondingly cut back over the libation-bowl of the left seated figure to receive it. Above the door is a flat moulding and above this a relief of a cow to left suckling a calf. The shaft was of limestone, the reliefs of large-grained marble, now weathered; they are made up of central slabs and angle-pieces. The subjects are set in a frame; at the sides and at the top is a flat moulding, curving below into the relief-ground and projecting 0.023m; the relief of the figures occasionally projects beyond it. At the bottom is a straight base-line below which is a cyma recta. The north, south and east sides are similar in composition; in the central slab a seated figure receives offerings, while angle-pieces are filled by subsidiary figures. The western side contained the entrance to the chamber and shows seated figures in the angle-pieces and a procession in the centre, with an independent relief in the space over the door. The reliefs are worked with elaboration of detail, fleshy smiling faces and soft draperies that reveal the contours. The west side is not only the best preserved and most important, but is superior in style; the proportions are better, the scale smaller, the heads being kept below the moulding. On the North and East (and possibly the South) sides, all heads cut into the moulding, except the Siren groups which, however, extend over the side border, as if to emphasise the idea of departure. On these three sides the figures are thick and clumsy. The hair is, with one exception, delicately worked in rows of waved lines, cut short on the neck for the men, loose or looped up on the women. The eye shows a raised eyeball and raised lashes, the inner angle sometimes blunted. The drapery is carefully finished; on the chitons of the children the crinkling is convex, on the other figures it is worked in narrow concave bands. The wider folds of the mantles are also curved. The lower edges of the sleeves are formally drawn forward. --The British Museum, Pryce, F N; Smith, A H, Catalogue of Greek Sculpture in the British Museum, I-III, London, BMP, 1892
427. Escape from Cyclops
- Description
- Pottery lekythos decorated in the Six technique. Design black, indicated by incised lines, on a black ground, with red and white accessories; neck and shoulder red with black and white rays. Odysseus escaping from Polyphemos: Odysseus is tied under the belly of the ram to right, looking up; he is beardless, with short chiton and sword held up in left hand. He is painted red throughout, the ram's horns and breast white. In the field, imitation inscriptions. --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
428. Escape from Cyclops
- Description
- Pottery lekythos decorated in the Six technique. Design black, indicated by incised lines, on a black ground, with red and white accessories; neck and shoulder red with black and white rays. Odysseus escaping from Polyphemos: Odysseus is tied under the belly of the ram to right, looking up; he is beardless, with short chiton and sword held up in left hand. He is painted red throughout, the ram's horns and breast white. In the field, imitation inscriptions. --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
- Description
- Pottery: black-figured amphora. Designs black on red panels, with lotus and honeysuckle borders along the top; accessories of white and purple. (a) Judgment of Paris: On the right is Paris seated to left on a rock, bearded, with long hair looped up by a fillet, long chiton and himation, both embroidered with white rosettes, in left hand a lyre. Hermes, who is leading the three goddesses to him, is bearded, with long tresses, petasos, short white chiton, embroidered chlamys, and endromides, caduceus in right hand, left hand extended towards Paris. Behind him advance the three goddesses, each raising left hand. First, Hera, wearing long chiton and embroidered himation; next Athene, with high-crested helmet with cheek-pieces, long embroidered chiton with diploidion, and aegis, of which only the borders of snakes are visible, in right hand a spear; Aphrodite comes last, in long chiton and embroidered himation; all three have long hair, fillets, and necklaces. (b) Departure of a warrior: In the centre is the warrior to left, bearded, with visored helmet with fillet, chlamys, greaves, shield with device of a pellet, and two spears; facing him is a nude youth, wearing a fillet, who is receiving a garment (?) from the warrior. On the left an old man advances to right; he has a white beard and long white tresses with fillet, long purple chiton and striped himation, embroidered with white rosettes; his right hand leans on a knotted staff, and his left is extended to the warrior. On the right is a female figure to left, in a long chiton and striped embroidered himation drawn over her head; behind her is a youth to left, with fillet, long chiton, and striped himation embroidered with white rosettes. --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 4, British Museum 3, London, BMP, 1927
- Description
- Pottery: black-figured amphora. Designs black on red panels, with lotus and honeysuckle borders along the top; accessories of white and purple. (a) Judgment of Paris: On the right is Paris seated to left on a rock, bearded, with long hair looped up by a fillet, long chiton and himation, both embroidered with white rosettes, in left hand a lyre. Hermes, who is leading the three goddesses to him, is bearded, with long tresses, petasos, short white chiton, embroidered chlamys, and endromides, caduceus in right hand, left hand extended towards Paris. Behind him advance the three goddesses, each raising left hand. First, Hera, wearing long chiton and embroidered himation; next Athene, with high-crested helmet with cheek-pieces, long embroidered chiton with diploidion, and aegis, of which only the borders of snakes are visible, in right hand a spear; Aphrodite comes last, in long chiton and embroidered himation; all three have long hair, fillets, and necklaces. (b) Departure of a warrior: In the centre is the warrior to left, bearded, with visored helmet with fillet, chlamys, greaves, shield with device of a pellet, and two spears; facing him is a nude youth, wearing a fillet, who is receiving a garment (?) from the warrior. On the left an old man advances to right; he has a white beard and long white tresses with fillet, long purple chiton and striped himation, embroidered with white rosettes; his right hand leans on a knotted staff, and his left is extended to the warrior. On the right is a female figure to left, in a long chiton and striped embroidered himation drawn over her head; behind her is a youth to left, with fillet, long chiton, and striped himation embroidered with white rosettes. --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 4, British Museum 3, London, BMP, 1927