Graeco-Roman Silver Votive Figure of Pallas Athena

With a high-gloss black slip, ovoid body and a short wide neck with a flaring rim, a wide strap handle and a flat base. 144 grams, 95 mm wide



Ex P. A., Hertfordshire, UK, specialist collection of Greek art, 1980-1990s.

The black glaze technique uses the same glaze used by the Greeks on the red-figure and black-figure ceramics, but covering the entire piece, without figurative decoration. It was a transparent raw glaze, which took on its characteristic intense, glossy black tone after firing.

A Graeco-Roman or Phoenician chain of loop-in-loop links and thick suspension ring, gold dome with bands of applied granules capping an egg-shaped banded agate drop. 26.19 grams, 48 cm long



Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Important North West London collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11935-210477.

Agate was appreciated in the Greek and Roman world for its magical virtues. A recently found agate gemstone from Imperial-era Anapa, which differs from the other similar agate stones in its spherical shape and large size, was inscribed with a text referring to traditional Greek expulsion rituals against evil and diseases, ending with a list of human head parts similar to the one found in the Hippocratic medical handbook. The gemstone was probably worn not only as an amulet, but also as a miniature handbook with instructions for making amulets. According to Pliny the Elder (NH, XXXVII, 47) a certain type of agate was protected against spiders and scorpions.

Opaque with vertical ribbing around the globular body, trumpet-style neck and mouth with rolled rim. 76 grams, 73 mm high



Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998.