- Description
-
Gypsum alabaster (calcium sulphate) tripod shallow cosmetics bowl fragment with legs in the form of a sphinx. Fragment of a bowl supported by a sphinx, carved from gypsum (alabaster); human-headed sphinx with shoulder-length hair pushed behind ears; part of the bowl is preserved; hole drilled horizontally through the body of the figure (below and just behind shoulder level), the sides of which are cut completely flat; further hole drilled vertically, visible in top left hand broken edge of bowl; D hole ca. 0.4cm; length of face below hairline: 1.2cm.
- Production date
- 550BC-525BC
- Dimensions
-
Length: 5.20 centimetres
-
Thickness: 0.70 centimetres (bowl)
-
Width: 4.60 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
Object owned and held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This record is included in the British Museum database as part of the Museum’s Naukratis Project, a research collaboration that aims to virtually re-unite finds from the ancient port city of Naukratis, now distributed over 80 museums worldwide.
-
Labelled Φ8 in pencil (Sanctuary of Aphrodite, context 8). Cypro-Ionian style alabaster tripod bowls come in two forms, one with lion’s feet (Montreal, Redpath Museum 2532.02; 2532.01) and three fragments with sphinxes (British Museum GR 1886,0401.1508; Boston, Museum of Fine Arts RES.88.45; 86.168; Eg.Inv.458). The second group were likely used as containers for cosmetics or toiletries vessels and have been dated 550-525BC (Höckmann 2007, N37, 190-191, type 5, style group 4). A broader date range of 575-525BC is suggested for the former group. The basin's form has been attested according to other examples to belong to the Ionian area (Smith 1892, no.116; Conze 1895, 106; Bulle 1900, 35; von Fritz 1894a, 74; von Fritz 1894b, 733; Perrot and Chipiez 1903, 336; Weicker 1902, 126; Belin de Ballu 1972, 43-44; Floren 1987, 409; Wild 1988, 426). A parallel from Olbia suggests that all examples had identical tripod legs and likely also a lid (Höckmann 2007, 190-191). One example was found in late Saite levels within the sanctuary of Aphrodite (context Φ8; Boston RES.88.45), the others do not have secure contextual information.
-
An example of this type, in limestone with alternating lion's paw feet and spoolhandles (3 each), has been found in a Lydian child's grave at the village of Tekelioğlu Köyü near Manisa, with a suggested date in the last quarter of the 6th century BC: Mitten, D.G. and Yüğrüm, G., “Excavations at Ahlatlı Tepecik on the Gygean Lake, 1968”, Türk arkeoloji dergisi, 17,1.1968, 17.1, 125–131, esp. 127 , 131 figs 9-10.
Similar bowls, with a lid, but manufactured in faience (glazed composition), have been found on Rhodes: British Museum 1885,1213.58, see Webb 1978, pl. XI no. 268 (with incorrect registration number).
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Fair, but surface slightly worn and incomplete
- Acquisition date
- 1887
- Department
- External
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: Eg.Inv.147 (Egyptian Inventory Number)
-
Miscellaneous number: RES.88.45 (Accession Number)
-
Miscellaneous number: S.1616 (Stone ledger number)