Libation Cup
Unknown Artist
c. 235–185 BCE
Medium
bronze, lost wax technique
Dimensions
h. 6 cm · diam. 7 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Dudley P. Allen Fund
Accession Number
2001.2
About this artwork
The remarkably clear, tiny carvings in an uninterrupted frieze around the lower section include one sacred palm tree and one fig tree (ficus religiosa) that divide the space into two main scenes. One features female musicians, the other has two chariots, each drawn by a pair of galloping horses. Bulls, birds, and flowers fill the background spaces. This cup is from a group found in an area with close links to Indo-Greek kingdoms, and the chariots and framing motifs reveal knowledge of Hellenisti...