• r2-118-10
    Torso and legs of young satyr, frontal view. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)
  • r2-118-20
    Torso and legs of young satyr, detail of clasp at shoulder. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Torso and Legs of Young Satyr

Date
Hadrianic, Roman
Museum
Manisa, Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, 7117
Museum Inventory No.
7117
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
S66.003
Material
Marble, Stone
Object Type
Sculpture
Sculpture Type
Mythological Figure
Site
Sardis
Sector
B
Trench
BE-H 66
Locus
B Marble Court
B-Grid Coordinates
E32 / N52 *96.55
Findspot
B MC, slightly above marble floor.
Description

Satyr wears a nebris with goat head and foot hanging in front over his l. shoulder, where it is bound with a clasp. R. foot is slung over his shoulder in back. Upper edge of goatskin, doubled over and hanging loosely, is plastically modeled. The back is only roughly finished, showing little more than outlines of the nebris. Multiple claw chisel marks have been worked over the abrasives.

The stance is Praxitelean, with r. hip thrown out and r. arm raised. Body is intentionally soft, with a tactile nebris and delicately worked surface. No drilling used, but only fine chisel work, even under the armpits. Somewhat cold but highly competent smoothness is typically Hadrianic.

Condition

Gray fine-grained dense marble (Proconnesian?).

Three fragments: A, upper torso; B, lower torso and r. thigh; C, part of r. leg and knee. Fragments A and B fit, but poorly. Found five years apart, their join was recognized by Ilse Hanfmann

Dimensions
A and B: total H. 0.415; W at hips 0.145; Th. at chest of 0.115. H. of C: 0.125.
Comments
For stance, cf. Rizzo, Prassitele, pls. 48ff., with weight and thrust reversed; or Jones, Catalogue Rome, pl. 87; also Cumont, Catalogue, 27-29, no. 19 and Brinkerhoff, Antioch, 31, no. 37.
See Also
Bibliography
Author
NHR