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Greek

Vessel Attachment in the Form of a Sea Bull, 4th century BCE-3rd century BCE

Now On View

Description

Maker

Culture

Greek

Title

Vessel Attachment in the Form of a Sea Bull

Year

4th century BCE-3rd century BCE

Medium

Bronze; silver

Materials/Techniques

Materials

Dimensions

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

Type

Credit

Mary B. Jackson Fund

Object Number

1992.040

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Ancient Greek and Roman Galleries

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.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Vessel Attachment in the Form of a Sea Bull with the accession number of 1992.040. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.