Terracotta vase in the form of an astragal (knucklebone)

Painter of London D 12

ca. 460 BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

Eros Astragals were popular toys in antiquity. As each side of an astragal is distinctive, what mattered in a game was how the pieces fell. Such games of chance also acquired prophetic or erotic aspects. The poet Anacreon wrote about the astragals of Eros—the dice of Love. It is entirely appropriate that this large example is decorated with a lyre-playing Eros.

Artist

Painter of London D 12

Date

ca. 460 BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1940