Asset number
818598001
Description
Pottery: red-figured hydria (water-jar). (1) The carrying off of the Leukippidse. In the centre of the scene, on a high level, is a xoanon (wooden cult image) of a goddess (Chryse ?) en face, on a pedestal, holding up the left hand, palm outward, and holding out in the right a fluted phiale; the statue is stiff and archaic in form, with legs close together and elbows at side, and wears a long tied chiton decorated like those of the Dioscuri, and a radiated polos decorated with egg pattern. On each side of the head are drawn wavy lines indicating hair (?); and below the arms hang the ends of a fringed mantle. The pedestal is damaged, but it appears to have been in the form of an Ionic capital. On each side of this statue is a quadriga. That on the left is the chariot of Polydeukes, who drives it at full speed away to left, standing in it with Helera, whom he has seized; she holds the front rail with her right hand, and is further supported by the right arm of Polydeukes, who holds in that hand the goad, and in each hand a pair of reins; he wears a short tied chiton, elaborately decorated with palmettes, maeander, egg pattern, and two laurel-wreaths, and a mantle decorated with stars floats back from his arms; above him, his name, ???Y?Y???S, ????de??(t)??. Helera with her left raises from her shoulder part of a short mantle decorated with stars, and her head is bowed as if in grief; she wears a long chiton with apoptygma, a necklace, earrings, bracelets, and a radiated stephane decorated with egg pattern. Over her her name, ?????, ??e?a. The car of the chariot is richly decorated with palmettes and egg patterns; the horses have beaded bridles and collars decorated with egg pattern; their manes are coloured with a wash of yellow; the corona of hair at the junction of each leg with the belly is treated decoratively, like a sprig of foliage; the nearest horse has a cross branded on the upper part of the flank, which has been covered with minute dots. The third horse turns its head to right; the chariot-pole, with its ?????, is drawn between this and the fourth horse. At the foot of the statue is a group of Castor seizing the other Leukippid Eriphyle; she tries vainly to escape to right, raising her skirt with her right, and with her left raising her mantle beside her head; but Castor, standing firmly on a rocky hillock, clasps her with both hands locked around her waist, and head resting against her right shoulder. Castor is dressed like his brother; his chlamys is fastened with a brooch on the chest, and he wears sandals of open work; Eriphyle is dressed as Helera, but has a double sphendone decorated with net and maeander, and plain sandals. Above this group is inscribed ??SS?O?, ??sst??; on the right, ??IFU??, ???f???. On the upper level, to the right of the statue, the quadriga of Castor stands ready to right, and in it the charioteer Chrysippos, dressed as Castor, but without chlamys, in three-quarter face to left, looking on, holding reins and goad; he is beardless and of youthful appearance; above him his name, XPYSIPPOS, ???s?pp??; the chariot and horses are like those of Polydeukes, and the horses paw the ground impatiently. The lowest level is occupied with a group of spectators: in the centre is an altar having an Ionic capital with necking of egg pattern and three splashes of blood on the drum; against this Aphrodite is seated on raised ground on left, leaning back; she turns round to look at the scene last described, resting her left against the altar, and raising her right to arrange her hair; she wears a long chiton with studded sleeves, a mantle around her legs, earrings, a necklace of pendant beads, bracelets, and a h
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