- Museum number
- 1839,0214.68
- Description
-
Pottery: red-figured stamnos.
(a) Sacrifice, with Nike. On the left is an altar on a double plinth, on which two rows of sticks set crosswise, are burning, with a large hook or the horn of an ox and a square object in the midst of the flames; beside it stands a bearded, wreathed man, in a mantle, inscribed, APXENAYTHΣ, Άρχεναύτης, who holds in his right, by one handle, a kylix from which he seems about to pour wine on the altar; he raises his left hand as if in surprise, looking at Nike, who flies over the altar towards him, with Doric chiton and apoptygma, and hair knotted behind with a fillet; her right is restored as pouring wine from an oinochoe into
the kylix. On the right of the altar two boys with spits stand, both nude and wreathed; the nearest stands en face, roasting in the flames a piece of meat fastened on his two spits. The other stands to left, holding upright in his right a piece of meat on the end of a single spit. They both look towards Nike. Above their heads is inscribed, ΝΙΚΟΔEΜΟΣ ΚΑΛΟΣ, Νικόδημος καλός. On the right is a youth in a himation, playing on the flutes, to which a phorbeia is attached, passing over the crown of his head. Beside him is his name, ΣΩΣΙΠΟΣ (?), perhaps intended for Σώσιπ[π]ος or Σωσίθεος.
(b) Two ephebi looking at a third on the right, who holds in his right a chelys; each has a mantle and a fillet; the central one holds a staff; the one on the left raises his right hand.
Large style. The design curves up over the shoulder. Purple inscriptions, flames, stems of wreaths, and fillets. Brown inner markings. Eye in developed profile. Below, sets of three maeanders separated by red cross squares; on shoulder, tongue pattern; round handles, egg pattern; above and below handles, a pattern composed of five palmettes.
- Production date
- 450BC-430BC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 40.64 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- BM Cat. Vases
Gerhard, Arch. Zeit. 1845, pl. 34, p. 166; id. A. V. iii, pl 155, p. 20; Baumeister, p. 1107, fig. 1303; Panofka, Eigenn. mit καλός, pl. iii, 5, p. 8; Bottiger, Vasengemalde, pl. i, 2, p. 48; Bull. dell’ Inst. 1835, p. 183; 1837, p. 35; 1838, p. 72; Stephani, Compte-Rendu 1868, p. 132; 1873, p. 188; Flasch, Angebl. Argonautenb. p. 22; Wernicke, Lieblingsn. p. 77; Klein, Lieblingsinschr. p. 70; C.I.Gr. 8453; J.H.S. ix, p. 4; Kretschmer, Vaseninschr. p. 85, note 1.
The scene in a, together with a series of similar designs, has been interpreted as bearing on the Argonautic legend, but Flasch (loc. cit.) and others refer it to a sacrifice in honour of a victory.
- Location
- On display (G20a/dc8)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1980 5 Jun- 26 Oct, London, BM, The Ancient Olympic Games
- Acquisition date
- 1839
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1839,0214.68
