Bronze parade mask: a woman’s face, perhaps worn by soldiers representing Amazons, 2nd century, Ancient Rome
The British Museum
The Sophilos Dinos, Painted by Sophilos, Ancient Greece, 580 BC-570 BC
“It shows the Wedding of Peleus and Thetis, above friezes of real and imaginary animals. Peleus receives the wedding guests at his house; among them Dionysos, Hebe, and the centaur Cheiron. Between the columns of Peleus’ house is the artist’s signature “Sophilos painted me”. The first chariot in the procession carries Zeus and Hera, the second Poseidon and Amphitrite, the third Hermes and Apollo and the fourth Ares and Aphrodite. Between the chariots walk groups of Fates, Graces and Muses, one of whom plays the pipes. Athena and Artemis ride in the last chariot, and are followed by Thetis’ grandfather, the fish-tailed sea-god Okeanos, his wife Tethys, and Eileithyia, goddess of childbirth. Hephaistos brings up the rear, seated side-saddle on a mule.”
The British Museum
Bracelets, Lapis Lazuli and gold, 940 BCE, 22nd Dynasty Ancient Egypt
“Gold cuff bracelet of Prince Nemareth: the inner side of the smaller segment of this bracelet is inscribed for a man with the Libyan name of Nimlot (also rendered as Nemareth or the like). The external decoration of the bracelet consists of geometric decoration and a figure of a child god. The god is represented in a typical ancient Egyptian manner for a male child: nude, wearing a long sidelock of hair and with a finger to the mouth. That this is not a mere human child, however, is indicated by his crook-shaped scepter of rule, the uraeus on his forehead, and his headdress, which is a lunar crescent and disk. The deity depicted on these bracelets is most probably Harpocrates. Two uraei guard the lunar symbols. Presumably, they represent the protective goddesses of Upper and Lower Egypt, which the Egyptians often equated with the ordered universe. And the blue lotus, on several of which the deity squats, is a symbol of creation from the primordial ocean, from which the sun first rose, and of birth and rebirth, presumably because that flower rises above the water when it opens each dawn. The bracelet was once inlaid with lapis lazuli.”
The British Museum
Mummy mask, Early 18th Dynasty Ancient Egypt, 1500 BCE
“Cartonnage mummy-mask of Satdjehuty: on this splendid female mask, gold leaf not only covers the woman’s face, but also her huge collar necklace and the vulture-headdress that embrace the front and sides of her voluminous, lapis lazuli-coloured wig. The wings are examples of protective symbolism that, like the feather patterns on many anthropoid coffins of the Seventeenth and early Eighteenth Dynasties, evokes the guardianship of Isis and other deities. This woman’s name, once written at the bottom of each column of hieroglyphs, has been lost. There are two columns of hieroglyphic text on the chest.”
The British Museum
Statue of Ruler Senusret III, 12th Dynasty Ancient Egypt, 1874 BC-1855 BC
The British Museum
Mummy Case, Egypt, Roman Period, Early 2nd century
“Mummy of a Greek youth, aged 19-21, named Artemidorus in a cartonnage body-case with mythological decoration in gold leaf and an encaustic on limewood portrait-panel covering the face and inscription on the chest. There is an inscription in Greek on the mummy-case.”
The British Museum
Relief with a seated man (The Lansdowne Homer)
Greek, about 75 B.C.
Marble
The J. Paul Getty Museum
Wine cup with scenes of Bacchus and his consort Ariadne
Roman, Rome, 25 B.C. - A.D. 25
Cameo glass
The J. Paul Getty Museum
Ceremonial Chair (The Elgin Throne)
Greek, 400 - 300 B.C.
Marble
The J. Paul Getty Museum
“A rare surviving example of Greek marble furniture, the Elgin Throneoriginally was placed in a public space in Athens, perhaps in the Theater of Dionysos, where it would have been a seat of honor. The decoration on the sides of the chair appears connected with this official function.”
Storage jar with the judgment of Paris
Greek, Athens, about 360 B.C.
Terracotta, pigment, and gold
The J. Paul Getty Museum
