- Museum number
- 1870,0710.1
- Description
-
Pottery red-figured colossal volute krater; medallion handles.
Designs red on black ground, with accessories of white, yellow, and purple. Round the lip, egg-moulding; underneath, a palmette-pattern, black on red, and red and white on black. On the neck, above each design, maeanders in perspective, edged white, with palmettes on stalks in the squares. On the shoulder, each side, palmettes and lotos-flowers alternating, with egg-moulding below; below the handles, large patterns of palmettes touched up with spots of white and vermilion. On the body, each side, are two rows of designs divided by a band of crossed spiral patterns alternating with dotted rings, on the reverse between bands of egg-moulding. Below the designs, maeander as on the neck; the stem of the vase is fluted. The handles terminate below in swans' heads, and above in Gorgoneia, painted white, the hair deep yellow, the features black.
One handle removed. On the other, below the Gorgoneion, is a winged female figure turned towards the vase, looking up and holding in both hands a plant with tendrils and flowers; they wear long chitons with apoptygma and shoes, and are painted white.
On the neck: (a) Female head half to left, painted white with yellow markings; hair curly in front, cap over the back of the head, and necklace; it rests on the calyx of a flower which branches out on either side in luxuriant tendrils, blossoms, and fruit. On either side of the head is seated an Eros turned towards it, with hair knotted up at the back under an open cap, armlets, and shoes; the one on the right wears anklets and holds a taenia in each hand and phiale in right; the other holds out a wreath in right hand, and has a phiale and taenia in left hand. Both are painted white with yellow markings; above are two rosettes.
(b) Amazonomachia (Amazonomachy): On the left is a Greek warrior, beardless, with white crested helmet, bordered chlamys fastened with fibula in front, shield painted purple inside, sword at side, and spear in right hand, advancing to slay an Amazon on a lower level, who has fallen forward on her knees, and looks up at him with right hand extended in supplication. She has a Phrygian cap, chlamys fastened with a fibula in front, long chiton, and jerkin and anaxyrides in one piece, purple with white spots, radiated girdle and cross-belt; in left hand she holds a stone. On a higher level behind her is an Amazon rushing to right; she wears white Phrygian cap, bordered chlamys fastened with fibula in front, short chiton, under-garment as last, with bands of chevrons on the anaxyrides, radiated girdle and cross-belt with white studs, and sandals; pelta on left arm painted purple inside, axe in right hand. She is about to slay a Greek warrior fallen to right, who looks up at her and endeavours to defend himself with shield and spear; he wears a crested helmet and bordered chlamys. Above him is an Amazon galloping to right on a white horse (as the last, but no chlamys), with spear in right hand, which she is about to hurl at a Greek warrior confronting her; below her is a pelta. The Greek warrior is beardless, with yellow crested helmet, bordered chlamys, sword in sheath at side, club in right hand, and shield painted yellow. On the right a Greek to right, beardless, with white high-crested helmet, chlamys fastened with fibula, shield on left arm painted purple inside, and sword slung at side, charges with spear at an Amazon on a white horse (with top-knot); she thrusts at him with spear. She wears a Phrygian cap, short chiton with radiated girdle, under-garment as before, with diaper-pattern on the legs, and sandals, and carries a white pelta. Below her lies an Amazon to left, nearly prostrate, grasping with both hands at an uncertain object, perhaps part of a spear; she wears Phrygian cap, chlamys, chiton to knees, under-garment as before with white spots, and belt. Above are rosettes and ivy-leaves, and in the middle a white bird to left holding a taenia in its claws; ground-lines indicated by white dots.
On the body:
(a) Iliupersis: 1. On the upper row the group on the right represents Ajax seizing Cassandra: On the left Ajax advances, with drawn sword in right hand; he is beardless, with high-crested white helmet, chlamys fastened with a fibula in front, and sheath slung round him by a dotted belt. With left hand he seizes the hair of Cassandra, who is fallen to right at the foot of the statue of Athene; in front of him hangs a phiale. Cassandra has dishevelled hair, and wears armlets, long chiton and himation, and shoes; she stretches out her hands on either side of the statue which stands to the front on a high base. The goddess has long hair, and is armed with shield and spear; she wears a Phrygian cap, and long girt chiton with apoptygma reaching nearly to the knees; all painted white with purple markings. On the right of the statue is a Trojan woman (?), armed with white pelta and two spears in left hand; she wears a white Phrygian cap, bracelets, chlamys fastened with fibula in front, chiton reaching to knees, radiated girdle and cross-belt on which are white spots, and jerkin and anaxyrides in one piece, purple with white spots. She moves to right, looking back, with right hand raised as if beckoning.
On the left: The meeting of Menelaos and Helen: Menelaos advances to right, bearded, with white crested helmet, chlamys fastened with fibula in front, sheath slung at side with embroidered belt, shield painted purple inside, drawn sword in right hand; between his legs is a small shield with border of dots. He makes as though to slay Helen, who retreats to right, looking back; she has long curls, beaded fillet, double necklace, bracelets, long chiton, girdle with white studs, himation, and white sandals; her right hand is extended to Menelaos, and with left she takes hold of a statue of Aphrodite to which she has fled for refuge. The statue stands on a base as that of Athene (supra), and is painted white with yellow markings; the goddess stands to right with face to front, long chiton and himation, in left hand a phiale. In the background are two tree-stumps. On the extreme right is a Trojan woman (?) moving to left, with face to front; she has a white Phrygian cap, armlets, bordered chlamys fastened with fibula, chiton reaching to knees, under-garment as before (sleeves purple with white dots, legs white with diaper-pattern in yellow), white sandals, white pelta with Gorgoneion and patterns outlined in yellow, two spears in left hand, right hand raised. Behind her is a phiale; above, a purple taenia, two rosettes, and another phiale; below, a small shield with border of dots. The figures in both groups have been much-restored.
2. On the left is Hecuba crouching on one knee, half-turned to right, with curls, double necklace, bracelets, long girt chiton, himation over her arms, and shoes, left arm raised as if to ward off a blow. She is attacked by a Greek warrior to left, beardless, with curly hair, white helmet with large crest, bordered chlamys with fibula, white shield, and sword brandished in right hand. On the other side is a Trojan woman (?) to right defending her, with curly hair, white Phrygian cap, bordered chlamys with fibula, chiton reaching to knees, radiated girdle and cross-belt, under-garment as the last figure above; in left hand she holds out a pelta painted purple inside, in right an axe. The first two figures have been much restored.
On the right: The death of Priam: In the centre is a statue of Zeus Herkeios, painted white with yellow markings, standing to left on a double base, the lower one red with yellow spots, on a purple plinth; Zeus is bearded, with himation over right shoulder and sceptre in right hand. On the left side of it is Priam, kneeling on left knee with face to front; he is bearded, and wears a lofty purple Phrygian cap with white engrailed edge and four hanging flaps, long chiton and himation, radiated girdle and cross-belt with dots, and white sandals; his left hand is raised, with right he endeavours to thrust away the hand of Neoptolemos, who plunges his sword into his right side. Neoptolemos is beardless, and has a white helmet with plume, bordered chlamys with fibula, sheath at side, and purple cross-belt; his figure has been almost entirely restored. On the extreme right is a Trojan woman advancing, with yellow Phrygian cap, bordered chlamys with fibula, chiton reaching to knees, under-garment as before with purple sleeves, cross-belt and radiated girdle, sandals, pelta with Gorgoneion and patterns (as the one above); in left hand two spears, right raised as if beckoning. On the ground are several plants; above, rosettes and flowers; on the right a phiale. The ground-lines in all these scenes are indicated by white dots.
(b) 1. On the upper row, a group of deities, probably as spectators of the scene below. On the left is Athene seated to front, with long hair, aegis, long chiton and himation, armlets, and white shoes, sceptre ornamented with dots in right hand, white shield at left side; in left hand she holds out a white helmet with large crest to Apollo, who is seated to right, slightly turning to left. He is beardless, with long flowing curls, and himation over lower limbs; with left hand he plays on a lyre fastened by a band round his left wrist; below him is a cista ornamented with chevron and maeander patterns. Both figures are almost entirely repainted. Next is Artemis seated nearly to front, turning to left; she has a yellow Phrygian cap, chiton reaching to knees with engrailed stripes down the sleeves, cross-belt and girdle with white dots, endromides laced up, with skin tops turned over, quiver at back, spear in right hand. At her feet is a hound to right painted white, to which she holds out left hand; the hound fawns upon Ganymede, who leans to left against a tree-stump; he is beardless, with white petasos slung round neck, chlamys behind him and between his knees, right hand extended, in left a pedum. Next is Zeus seated on a wide throne to front, looking up to left; he is bearded, with himation over lower limbs and sandals, in left hand a sceptre ending in a star of four points; the back of the throne is painted purple, with zigzag-border in white, as also on the front. Next is Hera, standing to right with face to front, stephane, necklace, bracelets, long chiton, himation drawn over the back of her head as a veil, sandals, sceptre in right hand ending in a lotos-flower. On the extreme right is Hermes, as if about to depart, beardless, with white petasos, chlamys with fibula, endromides as Artemis, caduceus in right hand. On the ground are several plants; above, four phialae and a white taenia.
2. Sacrifice by two heroes, probably Oinomaos and Pelops: In the centre is a statue of Zeus (?) to front, bearded, with long chiton and himation, hands upraised, in left a sceptre; it stands on a square column with moulded top and high base, and is painted white with yellow markings. On the left stands Pelops to the front, beardless, wearing a white helmet, chlamys fastened with fibula, and endromides (as above); in his right hand is a prochoos, in left he holds out a phiale. On the right is Oinomaos to the front, bearded, with white helmet, cuirass with scolloped border, chiton reaching nearly to the knees, chlamys, endromides as the other, and spear in left hand; in right he holds out a phiale. These two figures are turned slightly towards one another. On the left is a female deity (perhaps Aphrodite), standing slightly to left with face to front and left leg crossed in front of right; she wears a stephane, double necklace, bracelets, long chiton, himation drawn over head as veil, and sandals; in right hand she holds out a torch with four arms, such as is frequently borne by Chthonian and other deities on vases of this period. On the extreme left is Heracles, as founder of the Olympian games, seated to right, looking back; he is nude, with sword slung round him by an embroidered belt, club in left hand, and white lion's skin under him; behind him a tree-stump on which is perched a pigeon to right with wings spread. On the right is a youthful hero, perhaps Myrtilos, seated to right, looking back; he has a white petasos slung at back, chlamys behind him, sword and bow (?) slung at side, and spear in right hand, in left a white cuirass with purple lining. On the extreme right of the scene is a tree-stump, beyond which is a pigeon to left with wings addorsed, holding a taenia in its claws. Above are three phialae; on the ground, plants; the ground-lines are indicated throughout by white dots.
- Production date
- 330BC-310BC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 120 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- BM Cat. Vases
Bull. Arch. Nap. vi. 1858, pls. 8-10, p. 145 (Minervini); Heydemann, Iliupersis, pl. ii. 20, 2b, 2c, p. 36; Gerhard, Arch. Zeit. 1859, p. 109*.
For Ajax and Cassandra, cf. BM Vase F160. For deities watching a scene, see also BM Vase F271. For Oinomaos and Pelops, cf. BM Vase F331. For the four-armed torch, cf. BM Vases F277 and F332.
[Handwritten note] Dec 1965. Removed from exhibition for cleaning. Heavy overpainting; this removed up to foot; one handle removed.'
- Location
- On display (G1/od/nr63)
- Associated events
- Associated Event: Capture of Troy
- Acquisition date
- 1870
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1870,0710.1
