Archaeological Museum of Bologna

The three cups are finely decorated with Dionysian motifs, the two minors are covered with flowers and branches, the largest has a more complex representation with worship symbols including two altars, a mask of Dionysus young with a crown of ivy, two thyrses, animals of sacrifice (a bull, a sheep and a ram), a satyr and maenad masks.

More info

The three cups came to light by chance in 1832 during farm work in small suburb northeast of what is now the city centre. The two smaller cups are cast and decorated with foliage motifs. The third is bigger and made in two parts. The inner part is smooth and the exterior is embossed with illustrations from the legend of Dionysus. These are excellent specimens of Hellenistic toreutics and may have been made by an Alexandria smith.

Provenance: Bologna, San Donnino district - University Collection
Datation: I secolo d.C.
Material: Gilt silver
Dimensions: height cm 5,4 - 4,4 - 3,7
Inventory #: 20049 - 20050 - 20051