Fragment of a terracotta architectural tile
Unknown Artist
6th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
Overall: 6 11/16 x 5 13/16in. (17 x 14.8cm)
Classification
Terracottas
Culture & Period
Lydian · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of The American Society for the Excavation of Sardis, 1926
Accession Number
26.199.69
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of a terracotta tile hails from the ancient Lydian kingdom in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), dating to the 6th BCE during the Archaic period. Discovered at Sardis, the opulent capital of Lydia—famed for its wealth under King Croesus—this piece measures just 6 11/16 x 5 13/16 inches, yet it offers a glimpse into the grandeur of Lydian buildings. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum Art by the American Society for theation of Sardis in1926, it exemplifies use of fired clay tiles in roofs, friezes, or revetments, a practical yet elegant medium that allowed for intricate molding...