- Museum number
- 1839,0214.71
- Description
-
Pottery: black-figured amphora. Designs black on buff ground, with modern purple and white accessories. Round the rim, a wreath of leaves; on the neck, each side, a panther in perspective, showing both sides of the body at once; that on the reverse has two of the forelegs raised and crossed.
(a) Heracles (Hercle) to right, bearded, with lion's skin, sword at side, and club brandished in right hand, confronting Hera (Uni), who has a long chiton, goat-skin over her head, with goat's horns, and shield, and brandishes a spear. Between them is a lebes with four figures of snakes attached to the edges, and another behind the goddess (see Duemmler, l.c. p. 184). She is held back by Poseidon (Nethuns), who is long-haired and bearded, with short chiton, and trident of peculiar form in right hand, the lower end of which forms a spear. Behind Heracles is Athena (Menerva) (?) to right, with long hair and long chiton.
(b) Combat of two fully-armed warriors, perhaps Achilles (Achle) and Hector (Echtur): The one on the left has a short chiton; each has a visored helmet, shield, sheathed word and spear. Beneath the feet of each is a quail to left; on the right is a shrub. On the left is a female figure to right, in long chiton and himation veiling her head, holding up her dress with right hand, in left a flower, perhaps Athene.
Below: (1) A frieze of quails to left; (2) A frieze of animals to left: Two boars confronted with a tree between; panther and lion looking back; griffin with paw raised and mouth open, wings recurved, one being advanced in front to give the idea of perspective; Sphinx with right paw advanced, long hair with fillet, and wings recurved.
- Production date
- 530BC-520BC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 30.48 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- BM Cat. Vases
Gerhard, A. V. ii. 127, pp. 150-1; Archaeologia, xxx. pl. xviii. p. 342; Röm. Mittheil, 1887, p. 174; Roscher, p. 2221; Encycl. Brit. 9 xix. p. 616. For panthers, cf. Murray in J.H.S. ii. p. 318; other examples in Röm. Mittheil. 1887, p. 172, and Salzmann, Necr. Camir. pl. 41. For the scene of Achilles, Hector and Athena, cf. Schneider, Tro. Sagenkr. p. 46, n. 3.
Hera is probably represented in her character of Lanuvina or Sospita. At Sparta there was a Hera αίγόφαγος , cf. Paus. iii. 15, 9; Müller, Denkm. i. 299 B.; Frazer, Golden Bough, i. p. 328. See also Furtwaengler in Roscher's Lexicon, loc. cit.; he points to Kyme as the probable provenance of the vase; hence its connection with Southern Italy and Juno Lanuvina or Sospita as she appears on Roman coins; cf. Ber. d. Berl. Arch. Ges. 1 Nov. 1887.
For the frieze of quails, cf. a similar vase in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, where two are also represented under the feet of warriors in the upper design.
- Location
- On display (G71/dc22)
- Acquisition date
- 1839
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1839,0214.71
