Relief Fragment with Rearing Animal
- Date
- 5th-4th C. BC?, Late Lydian (Persian)?
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- S66.001
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Sculpture
- Sculpture Type
- Animal, Relief
- Site
- Sardis
- Sector
- B
- Trench
- BE-H 66
- Locus
- B BE-N
- B-Grid Coordinates
- E28.70 / N84.20 *97.50
- Description
The thick relief block shows an animal charging or rearing to the l. Only the body remains; most of the neck, legs, and tail are broken off. Perhaps the tail curved over the back since there is a trace of the end in the appropriate position. According to J.K. Anderson, the genitals are like those of an equid. The big folds on the very thick neck (dewlap), however, fit a bull rather than a rearing stallion. Over the buttock on the background is a faint trace of a broken-off bit of another figure, perhaps a paw (of a lion?). The rearing animal may have been attacked by a lion from behind.
The piece has very fine chisel work; it is smoothed over except at the front and rear. This might be a fragment of architectural sculpture; the thickness of the relief would fit a frieze. The date is probably 5th C. B.C.
- Condition
White marble.
Broken on all sides. Torso, upper part legs, and genitals survive. Unpolished.
- Dimensions
- P.H. 0.16; L. 0.26; Th. 0.13; D. of relief 0.065. Bull: P.H. 0.13; P.L. 0.235.
- Comments
- For bulls, cf. Sardis X, 15ff., pl. IV, fragment of tile with rear end of bull. Richter, Animals, 20-22, pls. 33-34; 19, pl. 27:81, similar genitals of donkey.
- See Also
- Bibliography
- Author
- GMAH