Lead wreath
Unknown Artist
6th–5th century BCE
Medium
Lead
Dimensions
Height: 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm)
Classification
Miscellaneous-Lead
Culture & Period
Greek, Laconian · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of A. J. B. Wace, 1924
Accession Number
24.195.158
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate lead wreath, crafted in ancient Laconia (the Spartan region of Greece) during the Archaic period6th–5th BCE), offers a glimpse into everyday religious and funerary practices of the time. Standing just 1 1/8 inches (2.9 cm) tall, it was likely a votive offering to deities or placed in a tomb, mimicking grander wreaths of olive, laurel, or gold awarded to victors in athletic games or sacred rituals. Lead, a soft and malleable metal, was an accessible medium for such small-scale replicas, allowing even modest worshippers to express devotion. In Laconian culture, known for its auste...