Ancient Artefact of the Day: One of the two silver skyphoi from the Berthouville Hoard, decorated with Centaurs, and a fine example of Roman luxury silver. #AAOTD #MuseumsUnlocked
Image: Bibliothèque nationale de France, Cabinet des Médailles Cat. No.61
Image: Bibliothèque nationale de France, Cabinet des Médailles Cat. No.61
Having looked at the Berthouville Treasure yesterday too, I had to come back to it to focus on these amazing cups with their stunning decoration of Bacchic revelry.
The Bacchic setting is alluded to through carefully selected decorative motifs, such as the grape clusters, pouring rhyta, laurels, and musical instruments which fill the scene.
This, combined with the depiction of the Centauress which perhaps speaks of ecstatic frenzy, is indicative of the decoration evoking the paradox between joy and suffering which is such a feature of Dionysiac myth.
For a superb article of these cups, see:
Van de Grift, Jon. “Tears and Revel: The Allegory of the Berthouville Centaur Scyphi.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 88, no. 3, 1984, pp. 377–388.
jstor.org/stable/504559
#AAOTD
Van de Grift, Jon. “Tears and Revel: The Allegory of the Berthouville Centaur Scyphi.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 88, no. 3, 1984, pp. 377–388.
jstor.org/stable/504559
#AAOTD
