A Bronze Greek Helmet of Illyrian Type
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A Bronze Greek Helmet of Illyrian Type

Description

This bronze helmet is designed for combat rather than purely ceremonial purposes, with blade-like wings which slide forward under the jawline from a straight-edge forehead margin. The top of the helmet is fortified with two prominent structural ‘ribs’ designed to deflect sword blows, while the rear edge of the helmet – above the shoulders – is lipped outwards to provide a neck guard. There are faint marks indicating that the helmet was indeed struck, probably by a sword, on the left side.

The early date of this piece put it in the Illyrian (i.e. Macedonian and Albanian) kingdom of the Enchelei, an 8th and 7th century B.C.E. polity focused around Lake Ohrid in what is now Albania and Macedonia. Their economy appears to have been based mainly on fishing, and they had extensive trade networks with Greece. They also had an uneasy relationship with local tribes including Macedonians and the Dardani, among others, and the fact that they seem to have spent much of their time at war may explain why so much of their art and material culture is based around warrior-like iconography and accessories. A helmet such as this would have been worn by a lightly-armed foot-soldier (or Hoplite, in Greek terms), and was designed for skirmishing. This is an evocative and impressive piece of ancient art.

REFERENCE #

WP_GR_1007

CIVILIZATION

Greek, 700 B.C.E. – 500 B.C.E.

SIZE

H. 27 cm

CONDITION

Fine condition

PRICE

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A Seated Figure of the God Thoth as an Ibis
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A Seated Figure of the God Thoth as an Ibis

Description

Great attention has been paid to the accurate and skillful rendering of the anatomic details of the ibis. Incised decoration replicates the structure of the bill, the eyes and the feathers and skin of the legs. The long, curved beak is harmoniously in proportion to the body, which has been simplified and streamlined to the point where it is an exercise in pure form. The bone structure of the beak and the head are represented through carefully nuanced modeling. The graceful contours of the neck flow into the body, of which only the outlines of wings, modeled on the underside as a slight ridge, are visible. The stylized mass of tail feathers was made separately and then inserted into the body.

Our bronze ibis would probably have been dedicated at a temple to Thoth, Egyptian god of writing, magic and wisdom, whose sacred animal was the ibis, and who often appeared as a man with the head of an ibis. As the creator of mankind, Thoth was one of the most important gods in the Egyptian pantheon. His main sanctuary was located in Hermopolis, a city that was known for its wealth.

Hermopolis benefited greatly from the rule of the Ptolemies, the Greek kings of Egypt, who commissioned large building projects for the city, thus solidifying Hermopolis’s identity as a luxurious resort town. A bronze such as our ibis would have undoubtedly been commissioned by a wealthy patron or king, who had access to the best workshops and quantities of good bronze. Our ibis is larger than the average ibis votives found: one of the closest parallels in terms of size and style is a Ptolemaic bronze ibis in the Brooklyn Museum (no. 49, 48).

Bibliography

ARNOLD, D., An Egyptian Bestiary, in Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New York, 1995.

ROBINS, G., The Art of Ancient Egypt, New Haven, 1998.

For other Late Period and Ptolemaic bronze ibis statuettes, see:

British Musem BM n. 64095 (1939, 0211.1)

Cleveland Museum of Art, no. 1940.667. 1/14

REFERENCE #

SI_EG_1046

CIVILIZATION

Egyptian, Late Dynastic Period. 26th Dynasty, 664 B.C.E. – 332 B.C.E.

SIZE

L. 40 cm

CONDITION

Fine condition

PRICE

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PROVENANCE

Ex. Private American collection, gifted to him in 1964 by a doctor who acquired it while working in Sudan.

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Ancient Roman Bronze Statue (Statuette) of a Finely Detailed Roman Eagle
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Ancient Roman Bronze Statue (Statuette) of a Finely Detailed Roman Eagle

DESCRIPTION

Ancient Roman bronze eagle statue (statuette) of a Roman eagle holding a crown in its beak showing finely detailed metalwork by the artist in the feathers, face and talons.  The wings of the metal eagle are slightly raised from its side and the legs are close together set on thick talons.

The majestic eagle, being one of the traditional Roman symbols, stands atop a bronze orb which represents the dominion of Rome over the world.  A simple crown of laurels hangs from the bird’s beak in a nod to the eagle’s close association with the royalty of ancient Rome.

The eagle, was a prominent symbol used in ancient Rome, especially as the standard of a Roman legion.  A Roman legionaire known as an aquilifer, or eagle-bearer, was the standard bearer who carried this standard on Roman military conquests.  Each Roman legion carried one eagle.   The eagle was extremely important to the Roman army, beyond merely being a symbol of a legion.   A lost standard was considered an extremely grave occurrence, and the Roman military often went to great lengths to both protect a standard and to recover it if lost.

For example, see the aftermath of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, where the Roman army spent decades attempting to recover the lost standards of three Roman legions. That’s why they are relatively small size, since a standard bearer in circumstances of danger will wrench the eagle from its staff and conceal it in the folds of his girdle.

REFERENCE #

SI_RM_1090

CIVILIZATION

Roman, 200 C.E. – 300 C.E.

SIZE

H. 10.2 cm

CONDITION

Excellent condition

PRICE

SOLD

PROVENANCE

Ex private collection, acquired before 1973.

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Hellenistic Bronze Face of Silenus Greek god of Drunkenness and Wine
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Hellenistic Bronze Face of Silenus Greek god of Drunkenness and Wine

DESCRIPTION

This bronze depiction of Silenus, Greek god of drunkenness and wine-press, dates to the Hellenistic period 300 B.C.E. – 200 B.C.E.  He was companion of the wine god Dionysus, and from the 5th century B.C.E. the name Silenus was applied to Dionysus’ foster father, which thus aided the gradual absorption of the Satyrs and Sileni into the Dionysiac cult.

Here Silenus is depicted as an old satyr with a long mustache and a square beard with big curling hair locks.  The face has strong features with chubby cheeks, snub-nose, fleshy lips, frowning brows, as well as pointed ears with ivy leaves set over both of them.  The face is finely modeled with a strong and living expression.  It is framed with a contour line at the border of the missing upper and back parts of the head.

Such a facial depiction was applied on a statue which was possibly made of other material.  The punched surface of the face may indicate that it was plated or sheathed with silver or gold.

 

Classical Depictions of Silenus

A notorious consumer of wine, Silenus was usually drunk and had to be supported by satyrs or carried by a donkey. When intoxicated Silenus was said to possess special knowledge and the power of prophecy:  It was believed that he acquired arcane knowledge and was able to predict the future.  Seilenos was, in essence, the spirit of the treading dance of the wine-press – his name being derived from the words seiô, “to move to and fro,” and lênos, “the wine-trough.”

 

Reference:

For the style:

cf. Smith, R.R.R., Hellenistic Sculpture, Thames and Hudson, London 1991, fig. 299; Stewart, A., Greek Sculpture. An Exploration, II ( plates ), Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 1990, figs. 684, 708.

For a similar Etruscan Satyr:

cf. Mitten, D. G., and Doeringer, S. F., editors, Master Bronzes from the Classical World, Exh. cat., Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, Mass., 1967, p.222, fig. 225.

For Silenus’ head:

cf. Ibid, p. 125, fig. 125.

 

Sources:

1.) Britannica – Satyr

2.) Wikipedia – Silenus

3.) Theoi – Seilenos

4.) Greek Mythology – Silenus

REFERENCE #

SI_GR_1016

CIVILIZATION

Hellenistic, 300 B.C.E. – 200 B.C.E.

SIZE

H. 6.5 cm

CONDITION

Two holes below the mouth. Surface with light punch marks

PRICE

$8,500 USD

PROVENANCE

The Baidun Collection

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