Archaeological Museum of Bologna

Starting from the Hellenistic period is inaugurated a current of grotesque painting in which are represented, in small pictures, characters and figures of myth in parodistic appearance, often with animal heads.

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Grylloi's representation was very common in glyptic art during 1st century AD and it was characterized with beings that were combination of animals and humas forms. in this case the engraver was very creative, the gryllos combines body of a ostrich, head of a man and a rat on it, that is taking the reins of the monster. 

Provenance: unknow
Datation: 1st century AD
Material: pink and orange burnt agate
Dimensions: mm 10,6 x 9 x 2,3
Inventory #: Gl 86