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Art & Design

Unknown artist, Roman
Funerary wreath, 300-399 CE
Gold
Length: 26 cm (10 1/4 inches) (right)
Museum Appropriation Fund 32.007

On View

Roman

Funerary wreath

Unknown artist, Roman
Funerary wreath, 300-399 CE
Gold
Length: 26 cm (10 1/4 inches) (right)
Museum Appropriation Fund 32.007

Ancient Greek and Roman Galleries

Wreaths held an important place in the classical world. They were awarded as prizes to victors at athletic contests or festivals, offered to the gods in temples and sanctuaries, and given to the dead at funerals. Gold wreaths were most often grave gifts and there are many elaborate examples representing known varieties of trees in precious metal. This funerary wreath appears to be a naturalistic representation of an olive branch, perhaps connecting it with athletics, as olive wreaths were placed on the heads of victors at the ancient Olympic games. Although gold wreaths as funerary gifts were more common in fourth-century BCE Greece, the construction of this wreath points to the late Roman period.
Classical Jewelry

Ancient Jewelry from the Museum's Collection

With Illustrations

Edited By
Holloway, R. Ross, ed.
Contributions by
Hackens, Tony
Publisher & Date
Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design., 1976
Type
Monographs and Collections

WorldCat

Selected Works

Edited By
Woolsey, Ann, ed.
Publisher & Date
Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, 2008
Type
Monographs and Collections

WorldCat Purchase book

Manual

a journal about art and its making. Alchemy

Edited By
Ganz, Sarah Blythe and Amy Pickworth, eds.
Publisher & Date
Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, 2016
Type
Journal

WorldCat Purchase book

Other Jewelry

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