Terracotta disk with Aphrodite riding on a goose

Unknown

4th century BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

The goose, a domesticated bird since Homeric times, was known in antiquity for keeping watch, having a voracious appetite, and requiring little care. While Aphrodite may be connected with other birds, she is more commonly associated with the swan than the goose. Geese were sacred birds of the Roman gods Juno, Mars Thincsus (a Germanic god of war), and Priapus.

Artist

Unknown

Date

4th century BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1910