Mythological beaker, ca. 50–100 AD
Violet coloured glass, blown into a four-part mould
(H x Ø)12,2 × 6,8 cm
Place of originSuriyah
About the workThe cup depicts four figures, possibly on their way to a wedding: Winter, as a woman, with her quarry; Hercules, the demigod, with a calf; Hymen, the god of weddings, with a torch and a jug; and Mercury, the messenger of the gods, with a herald’s staff and a ram’s head. They are all from ancient myths – stories that give meaning to our own experiences and tell of a higher, timeless world. Several examples of “mythological beakers” have survived, although the beaker shape is very unusual for a drinking vessel from this period.
AccessionAcquisition 1970 in part with funds of the Paul Girardet Foundation
Inventory numberP 1970-1
