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Source Description
The box is one of a small number to survive from the 4th through 7th centuries, most carved with mythological (pagan) or Christian subjects. Often called "pyxides" (Greek for "boxes"), they served a variety of functions, such as holding holy incense in a church context or a woman's jewelry. The walls of this one contain two episodes from Greek mythology. First, the Olympian gods are seen feasting around a tripod table and holding the golden Apple of the Hesperides. In the next scene, Hermes is awarding the apple to Aphrodite, whom he chose over Athena and Hera (shown to her sides) as the most beautiful among goddesses.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
28991
label
Circular Pyxis
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
4
Source metadata
id
28991
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Circular Pyxis
description
The box is one of a small number to survive from the 4th through 7th centuries, most carved with mythological (pagan) or Christian subjects. Often called "pyxides" (Greek for "boxes"), they served a variety of functions, such as holding holy incense in a church context or a woman's jewelry. The walls of this one contain two episodes from Greek mythology. First, the Olympian gods are seen feasting around a tripod table and holding the golden Apple of the Hesperides. In the next scene, Hermes is awarding the apple to Aphrodite, whom he chose over Athena and Hera (shown to her sides) as the most beautiful among goddesses.
provenance
Count Girolamo Possenti, Fabriano, by purchase; Sale, Florence, March 29, 1880, no. 16; Eugen Felix, Cologne [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Sale, Cologne, October 25, 1886, no. 319; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1926 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
5th-6th century (Late Antique)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ivory & Bone
pyxides
imageCount
4
pageCount
4
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
8.5
height
9.1
dimensionsRaw
H: 3 3/8 x Diam: 3 9/16 in. (8.5 x 9.1 cm)
Source extras
cul
Byzantine
med
ivory
creator_ids
6640
collection_ids
ROM
BYZ
exhibition_ids
358
2609
170
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
346aa5104c1f5b20
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
a7982f96b929ac4a
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
ce3b190fd164afc7
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
4
type
photo
mediaId
8d71620e5fa3d0bf
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no