Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Cybele Riding a Lion (Primary Title) Kybele Riding a Lion (Alternate Title) Unknown (Artist) Date: Late 2nd Century AD Culture: Roman Category: Sculpture Medium: alabaster Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 6 3/4 × 8 × 2 1/2 in. (17.145 × 20.32 × 6.35 cm) Object Number: 49.10.31 “If ever a foreign-born enemy brings war to Italian lands, he can be driven from Italy and defeated if the Idaean Mother [Kybele] is brought from Pessinus to Rome.” – Livy, History of Rome During Rome’s war against the Carthaginian general Hannibal, a prophecy was discovered in Rome’s sacred texts, the Sybillene books, that the Romans could defeat a foreign enemy only if they brought the goddess Kybele from Anatolia (in modern Turkey). Thus, in 205 BC, the cult of Kybele (including her priests) was introduced into Rome. This small-scale statue of Kybele (Magna Mater or “Great Mother”) riding on her frequent companion, a lion, was perhaps a votive offering or part of a household shrine. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-110994873

Myrtle Wreath (Primary Title) Unknown (Artist) Date: 3rd century BC Culture: Greek (Macedonian) Category: Jewelry Medium: gold, garnet, carnelian Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 9 1/2 in. (24.13 cm) Other (individual leaves): 1 1/2 in. (3.81 cm) Object Number: 65.403.1 This wreath is composed of gold leaves as well as pairs of garnets (for the myrtle berries) and a central carnation set in a dogtooth bezel. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-12966864

Myrtle Wreath (Primary Title) Unknown (Artist) Date: 3rd century BC Culture: Greek (Macedonian) Category: Jewelry Medium: gold, garnet, carnelian Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 9 1/2 in. (24.13 cm) Other (individual leaves): 1 1/2 in. (3.81 cm) Object Number: 65.403.1 This wreath is composed of gold leaves as well as pairs of garnets (for the myrtle berries) and a central carnation set in a dogtooth bezel. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-12966864

Serpent Ring (Primary Title) Unknown (Artist) Date: 3rd century BC Culture: Greek (Macedonian) Category: Jewelry Medium: gold Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 1 3/4 in. (4.45 cm) Object Number: 65.43.3 Little is known about how specific types of jewelry were worn in antiquity. Archaeological finds from the Roman period, several centuries after this ring was made, indicated that serpent rings were almost invariably worn on the third finger of the right hand. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-12952667

Serpent Ring (Primary Title) Unknown (Artist) Date: 3rd century BC Culture: Greek (Macedonian) Category: Jewelry Medium: gold Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 1 3/4 in. (4.45 cm) Object Number: 65.43.3 Little is known about how specific types of jewelry were worn in antiquity. Archaeological finds from the Roman period, several centuries after this ring was made, indicated that serpent rings were almost invariably worn on the third finger of the right hand. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-12952667

Ribbed Bowl (Primary Title) Unknown (Artist) Date: A.D. 1st century Culture: Roman Category: Containers Glass Medium: mold-blown glass Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 2 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (6.35 × 8.89 cm) Object Number: 59.9.31 Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-8066611

Ribbed Bowl (Primary Title) Unknown (Artist) Date: A.D. 1st century Culture: Roman Category: Containers Glass Medium: mold-blown glass Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 2 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (6.35 × 8.89 cm) Object Number: 59.9.31 Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-8066611

White-ground Lekythos (Storage Vessel) (Primary Title) attributed to, Bowdoin Painter (Artist) Date: ca. 480 BC Culture: Greek (Attic) Category: Ceramics Containers-Vessels Medium: terracotta Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 7 5/8 × 2 3/4 in. (19.368 × 6.985 cm) Object Number: 56.27.4 In this scene, winged Nike approaches an altar with a phiale, a libation bowl used for making offerings to the gods and the dead. In the white-ground technique, the potter covered part of a vessel with a white slip to which additional painted decoration could be added either before or after firing. White-ground lekythoi were often used in funerary rituals and, sometimes, as grave markers. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-15459676

Red-Figure Cup (Primary Title) attributed to, Codrus Painter, Greek, ca. 450 - 420 (Artist) Date: ca. 450 BC Culture: Greek (Attic) Category: Containers-Vessels Ceramics Medium: terracotta Collection: Ancient Art Geography: Greece Dimensions: Overall: 4 7/8 × 15 3/4 × 12 1/2 in. (12.38 × 40.01 × 31.75 cm) Object Number: 62.1.6 “We pass our time here, we and many other beautiful boys…it is a palaistra, recently built, and we pass our time in discussions which we would be glad to share with you.” – Plato, Lysis Athletes practiced their activities in the palaistra and gymnasia under the supervision of trainers, who could be privately hired or employed by the state. According to ancient manuals on athletics, training regimens could include exercise, diet, and even therapeutic massages for injuries. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-15481731

Red-Figure Cup (Primary Title) attributed to, Codrus Painter, Greek, ca. 450 - 420 (Artist) Date: ca. 450 BC Culture: Greek (Attic) Category: Containers-Vessels Ceramics Medium: terracotta Collection: Ancient Art Geography: Greece Dimensions: Overall: 4 7/8 × 15 3/4 × 12 1/2 in. (12.38 × 40.01 × 31.75 cm) Object Number: 62.1.6 “We pass our time here, we and many other beautiful boys…it is a palaistra, recently built, and we pass our time in discussions which we would be glad to share with you.” – Plato, Lysis Athletes practiced their activities in the palaistra and gymnasia under the supervision of trainers, who could be privately hired or employed by the state. According to ancient manuals on athletics, training regimens could include exercise, diet, and even therapeutic massages for injuries. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-15481731

White-ground Lekythos (Storage Vessel) (Primary Title) attributed to, Bowdoin Painter (Artist) Date: ca. 480 BC Culture: Greek (Attic) Category: Ceramics Containers-Vessels Medium: terracotta Collection: Ancient Art Dimensions: Overall: 7 5/8 × 2 3/4 in. (19.368 × 6.985 cm) Object Number: 56.27.4 In this scene, winged Nike approaches an altar with a phiale, a libation bowl used for making offerings to the gods and the dead. In the white-ground technique, the potter covered part of a vessel with a white slip to which additional painted decoration could be added either before or after firing. White-ground lekythoi were often used in funerary rituals and, sometimes, as grave markers. Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-15459676

Greek (Boeotian) Statuette of a Horse & Rider, ca. 600 BC Terracotta Private Collection Text from the Virginia MFA museum label.

Greek (Boeotian) Statuette of a Horse & Rider, ca. 600 BC Terracotta Private Collection Text from the Virginia MFA museum label.

Greek (South Italian, Apulia) Horse Rhyton, 399-300 BC Terracotta On loan from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA (MS2250) Text from the Virginia MFA museum label.