The gleaming color visible on the surface of these bronzes provides a rare glimpse of the original appearance of a bronze from classical antiquity. The quality of the chasing on the amphora is particularly fine; on the shoulder is a tongue pattern in shallow relief, below which are bands and running spirals with a chain of horizontal palmettes in between. The separately cast handles terminate at the shoulder with spotted feline heads fringed with flamelike tufts of hair. A stand was needed to ensure the stability of the amphora because the bottom of the vase ends in a narrow, pointed base. The stand is decorated extensively, with two concentric rows of perforated triangles between narrow guilloche bands.

Open full-size image