Offering Plaques

  • ca. 5th - 2nd century B.C.
  • Gold
Catalogue Entry

ca. 5th‐2nd century B.C.
Gold
(a)H. 14.7 cm, W. 3.7 cm(b)H. 2.7 cm, W. 1.1 cm
cH. 2.5 cm, W. 0.9 cm(d)H. 4.0 cm, W. 1.4 cm
(e)H. 6.5 cm, W. 2.9 cm(f)H. 3.4 cm, W. 1.6 cm
(g)H. 3.8 cm, W. 2.0 cm(h)H. 6.0 cm, W. 3.1 cm
(i)H. 3.0 cm, W. 1.7 cm(j)H. 21.7 cm, W. 5.8 cm
(k)H. 7.8 cm, W. 2.8 cm(l)H. 4.1 cm, W. 2.0 cm
(m)H. 6.4 cm, W. 4.3 cm(n)H. 2.6 cm, W. 1.9 cm
(o)H. 2.7 cm, W. 1.5 cm(p)H. 4.6 cm, W. 2.5 cm
(q)H. 5.2 cm, W. 4.3 cmRH. 3.6 cm, W. 2.0 cm
(s)H. 2.0 cm, W. 0.9 cm(t)H. 1.7 cm, W. 1.0 cm
(u)H. 4.7 cm, W. 1.7 cm(v)H. 1.7 cm, W. 0.5 cm
(w)H. 2.6 cm, W. 1.5 cm
Gold sheets are inscribed with images of women on Placques a-i. Plaques a and h show figures wearing earrings and holding flowers. These figures both have their nipples visible, with those on Plaque a incised and those on Plaque h stamped. The figures on Plaques b, c, d, f and g all carry barsoms. Plaque g's figure wears earrings. The figures on Plaques e and I hold cups. The figure on Plaque e is crowned and wears earrings, and she may represent a female member of the royal family.
Plaques 70 j, m, p, r, u, and v all have been carved in repousse with male figures. Plaque j's figure is shown wearing a short belted tunic and stockings and is surrounded by a simple incised line frame. The figure on Plaque m is wearing a sleeveless chiton and is shown from the knees up and facing forward The edges of the gold sheet are carved in repousse with a grain-shaped framing. Plaques p, q, r, u and v all show nude figures of men. Plaque q shows the head of an ox hammered into the larger section of the sheet, with a nude figure of a man with right arm raised shown in relief inside that ox head image.
Images of women have been carved in repousse into gold sheets at Plaques k, l, n, o, s, t, and w. Plaque k shows a Greek-style female facing forward and wearing a long chiton that reaches to the floor. Plaque l shows a woman wearing a loin cloth and walking towards the right. Plaque n shows a nude figure facing forward, and from the female figural type and male genitalia, this could be an image of a hermaphrodite.