Previous image 1 2 3 4 5 / 5 Next image

Unknown Maker, Greek

Vessel Attachment in the Form of a Sea Bull

Maker

Unknown Maker, Greek

Culture

Greek

Title

Vessel Attachment in the Form of a Sea Bull

Period

Hellenistic

Year

4th century BCE-3rd century BCE

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

bronze, silver

Geography

probably from Asia Minor

Dimensions

4.4 x 6.7 cm (1 3/4 x 2 5/8 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Mary B. Jackson Fund

Object Number

1992.040

Type

Exhibition History

Ancient Greek and Roman Galleries
Sep 22, 2010

Label copy

This fantastic creature, known as a sea bull, would have decorated a large bronze vessel. Most likely one of four identical sea bulls, it would probably have been placed at the terminal point of an arching handle. The sea bull is intricately cast, its eyes and horns overlaid with silver foil. The presence of silver indicates that the vessel to which this ornament was attached was not meant for everyday use, and was probably either a votive offering or a grave gift. The Greeks, and later Romans, believed that sea bulls would lead the dead to a blessed afterlife.

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Greek
Vessel Attachment in the Form of a Sea Bull, 4th century BCE-3rd century BCE
Bronze; silver
4.4 x 6.7 cm (1 3/4 x 2 5/8 inches)
Mary B. Jackson Fund 1992.040

To request new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.