bowl
- Museum number
- 1892,0519.1
- Description
-
Shallow bronze bowl with engraved decoration inside; Egyptianising figures but of Phoenician or Cypro-Phoenician origin; row of semi-circles around the outer part of the interior; two registers of figures separated by a cable pattern; the outer register depicts a series of seated or reclining figures attended by servants, dressed and naked, bearing vessels and musicians; inner medallion shows a pharaoh-figure smiting enemies with a mace; the enemies are drawn as overlapping figures; behind him is an attendant wearing a shenti (kilt) and a pointed cap holding a bow and quiver; to the left is a falcon-headed figure wearing a shenti and uraeus and disk: his extended right hand bears a khepesh (scimitar), his left hand by his side holds an ankh in his extended right hand and an ankh; two flying birds hover above the pharaoh; vessel intact except for some corrosion to the bronze and some minor chips and breaks to rim and outer register.
- Production date
- 675BC-625BC
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 15 centimetres
-
Height: 3.50 centimetres
-
Thickness: 0.32 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- The bowl was apparently found in Salamis by Alessandro Palma di Cesnola in 1877-8 (1882, 51-5 and figs. 52-3) but no further information about the find-spot is known. The findspots spots given by Cesnola are not necessarily reliable because of the way in which he collected antiquities, often through agents.
The bowl is of Phoenician type but may have been made on Cyprus. The date assigned here is based on Markoe (1985, 152-3, 155-6) and is earlier than the 6th century BC (or 'proto-Cypriote') horizon suggested by Gjerstad (1946, 3ff). See also Karageorghis 1993 for comments on Markoe's study based on a restudy of the original bowl.
Bibliography:
Cesnola A. P. di 1882, Salaminia (London).
Gjerstad E. 1946, 'Decorated metal bowls from Cyprus', Opuscula Archaeologica 4, 1-18.
Karageorghis V. 1993, 'Erotica from Salamis', Revista di Studi Fenici XXI, Supplemento, 7-13.
- Location
- On display (G72/dc12)
- Acquisition date
- 1892
- Acquisition notes
- See 'Catalogue of Cypriote antiquities, the property of the late Edwin Henry Lawrence, Esq. F.S.A, etc', Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge April 25th 1892, p. 16 lot 285.
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1892,0519.1
