Limestone votive capital

Unknown

ca. 4th century BCE · Limestone · Greek and Roman Art

The capital combines elements of the Doric and Ionic orders. The molding between the column shaft and the square top recalls a Doric capital. Above, the volutes are rendered as simplified disks with concentric circles. The addition of the six-petalled rosettes as decoration is another unusual aspect of the capital. It is unlikely to have served as an architectural element of a building but rather, like the triangular Ionic capital in the adjacent gallery (74.51.2796), as part of a free-standing votive monument. The hollow in the top can thus be interpreted as a setting for a dedication.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 4th century BCE

Medium

Limestone

Culture

Cypriot

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76