Spouted vessel with lynx protome

Object Details

• Description

  Rhyton with slender steep horn rising to outturned and folded-over rim; attached to separately made protome in the form of the head and forepart of a lynx. Ring covers join of horn and protome. Forelegs of animal made separately and set into body. Spout projects from chest of animal between legs. Rim, turned over and gilded on exterior, preserves inscription.

  Mouth of lynx open, tongue protruding; tufts of hair shown protruding from each ear. Fur depicted by parallel punched lines.Swirl pattern on shoulders and also on chest above protruding tublar spout. Collar around neck.

• Inscriptions

  According to a reading by Philipp Gignoux, École des Hautes Études, Paris, the inscription on the rim is in Parthian, and gives the weight of the vessel: "...MN ZWZYN 100 + 60 + 7 = 167 drachma" (letter dated 25 April 1986)

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Feast Your Eyes: A Taste for Luxury in Ancient Iran (February 4, 2012 - ongoing)

  Gold: The Asian Touch (September 10, 2005 to February 20, 2006)

  Nomads and Nobility: Art from the Ancient Near East (September 28, 1987 to November 1, 1992)

• Origin

  Iran

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Sackler Gallery 21: Feast Your Eyes: A Taste for Luxury in Ancient Iran

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s, 100s

• Topic

  Gilding, Hammering, Silver, Parthian period (247 BCE - 224 CE), Cats, Art, Animals, Sculpture, Punching, Ancient Near Eastern Art, Chasing, Metal-work

• Culture

  Iranians, Middle Easterners

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes