Gold phiale (libation bowl)

Unknown

4th–3rd century BCE · Gold · Greek and Roman Art

Inscribed on the base sketchily in Greek, "Pausi[ ]," and more deeply engraved in Punic (Carthaginian) characters, an indication of weight This libation bowl, decorated with bees, acorns, and beechnuts, is worked in repoussé. Phialai decorated with acorns were being made by the late sixth century B.C. and must have been traditional. Acorns could also be seen on the phialai held by the caryatids of the Erechtheum on the Akropolis in Athens, as we learn from Roman copies found in Hadrian's villa at Tivoli.

Artist

Unknown

Date

4th–3rd century BCE

Medium

Gold

Culture

Greek

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1962