amphora | British Museum

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amphora

Object Type
Museum number: 1848,0619.6
Description: Pottery: black-figured amphora. Designs black on red panels, with borders of double palmettes along the top; slight accessories of white and purple. (a) In the centre, the Dioscuri on horseback, riding side by side to right, beardless, with long hair and curls in front of their ears; they wear short chitons, that of Polydeukes embroidered, and striped chlamydes, fastened by fibulae at the shoulder; Castor also has a petasos; each has two spears, and Polydeukes also a sword at his side. Below the horses is inscribed: Πολυδεύ[κη]ς; in front of their heads: Κάστωρ. In front of them is Tyndareus seated to left on an okladias, with white hair and beard, long chiton and himation, both embroidered, in right hand a sceptre. Behind him is inscribed : Τυνδαρέως. On the right is a nude beardless male figure to left, caressing the horses, with fillet and hair falling in curls in front of his ears. Behind the horses is Philonoe to right, with long tresses, fillet, long embroidered chiton and himation; in front of her is inscribed : [Φιλον]όη. Behind her is a nude beardless male figure to right, his hair looped up behind with a fillet, falling in curls in front of his ears. Above : 'O[ν]ήτωρ καλός. (b) In the centre, a warrior on horseback, riding to right, bearded, with sword, petasos, and striped chlamys, holding in right hand two spears. In front of him is a male figure seated to left on a four-legged stool, looking back; he wears a fillet and long chiton. On the right is a warrior to left, fully armed, with spear, and shield with device of a tripod. Behind him is an attendant, nude and beardless, his hair looped up under a fillet, with curls in front of the ears. On the left is a male figure to right, with long hair, fillet, and striped chlamys, holding a spear. This side is badly damaged.
Producer name
Cultures/periods: Archaic Greek (late); Attic
Production date: 500BC (circa)
Materials
Ware
Technique: painted; incised
Dimensions: Height: 52.07 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: BM Cat. Vases Gerhard in Arch. Zeit. 1847, p. 24*, 1849, p. 55*; Panolka, Eigenn. mit Καλός, ρ. 64; Robert in Arch. Anzeig. 1889, p. 143; Jahrbuch fur Class. Phil. Suppl. xi. p. 544 (Luckenbach); Klein, Meistersig. p. 42; id. Lieblingsinschr.2 p. 18; Wernicke, Lieblingsn. p. 26; C.I.Gr. 7707b. For Philonoe, see Apollod. iii. 10, 6. Klein attributes this vase to Exekias, both from the style, and from the occurrence of the name Onetor.
Bibliographic references: Vase / Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum (B170); Old Catalogue / A Catalogue of the Greek and Etruscan Vases in the British Museum (584*); CVA British Museum 3 / Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum: Great Britain 4, British Museum 3 (III H e, Pl. 34, 2)
Location: Not on display
Condition: Repaired and restored.
Subjects: classical deity; equestrian
Associated names
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1848
Department: Greek and Roman
Registration number: 1848,0619.6