Gold Bracelet with Bull's Head Terminals in the Getty Villa, June 2016

Title: Bracelet with Bull's Head Terminals

Artist/Maker: Unknown

Culture: Greek

Place: Eastern Mediterranean (Place created)

Date: about 250–200 B.C.

Medium: Gold

Object Number: 96.AM.158

Dimensions: 8.3 cm (3 1/4 in.)

Credit Line: Gift of Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman

Alternate Titles: Bracelet with Bull's-Head Terminals (Display Title)

Object Type: Bracelet



Heads of young, short-horned bulls form the ends of this Hellenistic gold bracelet. Each bull's head has raised relief forehead curls, a stippled hide, and eyes that were originally inlaid with contrasting materials. The anonymous goldsmith made the ears and horns of the animals separately and soldered them on. He made the bracelet's hoop from a hollow tube with nine deep flutes, and closed the hoop with a gold wire that links the bulls' muzzles. A Herakles knot, valued for its amuletic and magical qualities and one of the most popular motifs in Hellenistic jewelry, decorates the wire.

The bracelet's form and the bull's-head terminals are unusual, as is the bracelet's simplicity, which differs markedly from the usual flamboyant style of Hellenistic jewelry.


Text from: www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/29607/unknown-maker-bracelet-with-bull's-head-terminals-greek-about-250-200-bc/