Parthian Green Glazed Dish

Modelled with semi-naturalistic anatomical detailing, the base displaying a battle showing a mature and muscular naked man grappling with a winged gryphon; drilled for suspension. 2.29 grams, 16 mm



Ex F.A., Brussels, 1980. Private collection of a London antiquarian.

Combat between a man and gryphon is a well-attested subject matter on Greek scarabs. A faience factory was found in Naukratis by Flinders-Petrie, with innumerable faience and discarded moulds. The motifs on the bottom surface are repetitive and hurriedly worked. They depict lucky symbols or representative subjects (lions with sun disc, ibex, Horus falcons, lotus flowers); such motifs had already been adopted into Greek art but are generally considered typically Egyptian. Here the subject of a fight against a gryphon is Greek, although the style of the fighting character seems Phoenician, which points to Eastern Mediterranean workmanship, possibly on the Island of Rhodes.

The gold roundel displaying an incuse winged creature with the head of a human and body of an animal. 0.50 grams, 7 mm



Acquired 1969-1999. From the private collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK, thence by descent.

Modelled in the round, the horse and rider with headgear; one leg absent. 57 grams, 90 mm wide



Ex private UK collection formed in the 1990s. Property of an East Sussex, UK, teacher.