• r2-181-10
    Head of a horse from fulcrum, view of right side. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)
  • r2-181-20
    Head of a horse from fulcrum, view of left side. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Head of a Horse from Fulcrum

Date
Late 2nd or early 3rd C. AD, Roman
Museum
Manisa, Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, 4094
Museum Inventory No.
4094
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
NoEx59.034
Material
Marble, Stone
Object Type
Sculpture, Sarcophagus
Sculpture Type
Sarcophagus
Site
Sardis
Sector
PC
Locus
PC Sarcophagus
Findspot
Brought in by villagers in July 1959, and said to have been found in the Pactolus near the area later designated PC.
Description

“PC sarcophagus” fragments. A large number of fragments (about 100) of an Asiatic sarcophagus were found in the Pactolus bed near the sector PC, in the summers of 1959 and 1960. The architectural fragments are identical with those on the celebrated sarcophagus of Claudia Antonia Sabina (Cat. 243 Fig. 422) and must have been made in the same workshop. Numerous fragments of hands, legs and drapery were found, as well as a few head fragments. Of special note are two beautiful pieces, the portrait head of a young woman and the head of a horse from the couch on the lid. These, as well as some architectural fragments, are described below (Cat. 180, Cat. 181, Cat. 182 and Cat. 183 Figs. 328-332).

The head of a horse is turned at a strong angle to its r., with the neck thus bent sharply. His protruding eyes look upwards. The l. eye has only a slightly hollowed pupil; the r. one is somewhat more emphatic. Drilling was used in ears, nostrils, and muzzle. All show a very full, fleshy treatment, particularly the flaring nostrils and corners of the mouth. Bone structure and musculature are emphasized. The locks are done in linear flat chisel work, intentionally leaving a texture somewhat rougher than the excellent effect of the superlatively abraded finish of the neck and face. J.K. Anderson and M.A. Littauer, who have kindly considered the matter, favor the identification as a horse rather than a mule.

The head is from the fulcrum of the couch on the lid of an Asiatic sarcophagus. Brilliantly worked, it seems to be a close copy of a Hellenistic prototype, perhaps in bronze. It was found near the many fragments of the PC sarcophagus, and there is good reason to think by the type and style that the horse head is part of the same. On analogy with the sarcophagus of Claudia Antonia Sabina (Cat. 243 Fig. 422) this piece can be dated to the late years of the 2nd C. A.D.

Condition

Fine-grained, slightly yellowish marble. Parian?

Broken part way down neck. Most of ears broken away. Small fragment of molding from the sarcophagus kline still attached at neck. Imperfectly cleaned, with much incrustation still attached at neck.

Dimensions
H. 0.10; W. 0.18.
Comments
For bronze couch fulcra, see Richter, Furniture of the Greeks, figs. 537ff.; also J.A. Scott in Mitten, Master Bronzes, 142, no. 147; Havelock, Hellenistic Art, 227, no. 176. Cf. also Wiegartz, Säulensarkophage, 158. For fulcra on Claudia Antonia Sabina sarcophagus, see Sardis V, frontispiece and fig. 3. For other fulcra, see ibid. figs. 39, 41 (Melfi sarcophagus) and fig. 83 (sarcophagus n Palazzo Torolinia, Rome); H. Hoffmann, Bronze Fulcrum; idem in Muscarella, Schimmel Collection, no. 37.
See Also
Bibliography
Published: BASOR157, 12; Hanfmann-Detweiler, Sardis, Capital, 62, fig. 8; Hanfmann, Report Sardis Dergisi 1960, fig. 8.
Author
NHR