Cleveland Museum of Art

Antefix with Satyr Face

Date

c. 525–480 BCE

Medium

terracotta

Culture

Greek/South Italian, Taranto

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This frontal satyr face, easily recognized by its snub nose and equine ears, served numerous purposes. As an antefix, it capped the open end of a roof tile, preventing wind, water, and pests from entering the building below. With its naturalistic mold-made features, enhanced with pigment and perhaps additional stamped and carved details, the antefix would also have provided striking visual ornament, especially when seen in long rows high above. Despite the connections between satyrs and Dionysos, not all satyr-head antefixes belonged to Dionysian buildings.

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