-
Bronze incense burner. (Courtesy of the Vedat Nedim Tör Museum, Istanbul) -
Hand-held bronze incense burner, detail. (Courtesy of the Vedat Nedim Tör Museum, Istanbul) -
Bronze incense burner. Detail of cup and cover. (Courtesy of the Vedat Nedim Tör Museum, Istanbul) -
Bronze incense burner. Detail of calf's head at the end of the carrying rod. (Courtesy of the Vedat Nedim Tör Museum, Istanbul)
Bronze incense burner
The Lydians and their World
(2010)
Cat. 173
- Date
- Late 6th or early 5th c BC, Late Lydian (Persian)
- Museum
- Uşak, Archaeological Museum, 1.56.96
- Museum Inventory No.
- 1.56.96
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- Uşak 1.56.96
- Material
- Bronze/Copper Alloy
- Object Type
- Metalwork
- Metalwork Type
- Metal Vessel
- Site
- Ikiztepe Tumulus
- Description
- This incense burner has a long carrying handle which projects horizontally from the cup. The form of the cup resembles that of the incense burners on pedestals, but the base is flat. The conical cover is composed of five tiers, the lowest of which slips over the upright rim of the cup, the two above this pierced by arrow-shaped slots. Riveted to the top is an apical ornament in the form of a faceted bud surmounted by a small knob. Between the carrying handle and the cup is a tripartite element, the central component of which is faceted, with a flattish rounded end which has a deep groove almost like the mouth of a highly stylized animal. The components at either side are S-shaped, terminating at each end in a duck head with broad beak and well articulated facial details. All three terminals are soldered to the cup and the backs of the inward-facing duck heads are soldered to the central component. The outer end of this tripartite element is a short tube into which is inserted the long carrying rod. At the top is a pierced lug, flanked by the perforated back hooves (one broken) of the figure of a calf. A short rod passes through the lug and is attached to the calf’s back hooves. The animal’s front hooves are attached to a plinth which is riveted to the second step of the cover of the incense burner, and its head is turned to face back. When the calf is lifted, the rod attached to its back hooves swivels in the lug, allowing the cover to be raised. The carrying rod is encircled along its length with alternately broad and narrow ridges, and its other end is capped by the head of a calf with finely worked details. All parts of the burner are cast (Özgen and Öztürk 1996). Length 0.628 m, height to top of cover 0.105 m, diameter of bowl 0.092 m, weight 1395.2 g.
- Comments
- From the Ikiztepe Tumulus.
- See Also
- Özgen, “Lydian Treasure”; Baughan, “Lydian Burial Customs”.
- Bibliography
- Özgen and Öztürk 1996, no. 73.
- Author
- İÖ