• m10-att-15-10
    Overview of fragments. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Attic Black Figure Amphora Fragments

Date
Ca. 490 BC, Late Lydian (Persian)
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
P64.129
Material
Ceramic
Object Type
Pottery
Pottery Shape
Amphora
Pottery Ware
Attic Black Figure
Pottery Attribution
Site
Sardis
Sector
PN
Trench
PN
B-Grid Coordinates
W250 - W253 / S345 - S351 *88.10 - 87.70
Description

Eleven fragments of a Type B belly amphora. Two large and one small section of a figured panel. Also preserved is the profile of most of the rim and the scar of the handle attachment (on C). Black glaze on interior of the rim. The panel is bordered at the bottom by a purple band, and at the top by interlaced pendent buds. The scene consists of five figures, from left to right: (1) satyr, (2) maenad, (3) satyr, (4) Dionysus, (5) satyr.
A (three joining pieces; left side of panel): bearded satyr (1) walking or dancing to right, with clappers in his left hand; maenad (2) also walking right, holding clappers in her right hand.

B feet of satyr (3) walking right, and left part of robe of Dionysus (4); vertical ivy vine.

C (seven joining pieces; right side of panel): right side of drapery of Dionysus (4), his nose, beard and hair with garland, and one of his hands holding a drinking horn; ivy vines on either side of the god; satyr (5) dancing to right, looking back over his shoulder.

Added white is used for the right arm of the maenad and the chiton of Dionysus. Added red is used for the nebris of the maenad, the beard and tail of the satyr (1), the beard and garland of Dionysus, and for the beard and hair of the satyr (5). Dilute glaze is used for his tail.

The painter has some idiosyncrasies: a series of slightly curved horizontal lines at the front of the stomachs of the satyrs shows that they are hairy. The chest in three-quarter view, with round nipples, is another characteristic. The painter uses single, long, curved strokes, curling up slightly at the end, for fingers and toes (and also for the clappers).

Dimensions
A: P.H. 0.088. B: P.H. 0.055. C: P.H. 0.182; H. of panel 0.122; Th. 0.004.
Comments
See Also
Bibliography
Published: BASOR 177 (1965) 8.
Author
NHR