Cleveland Museum of Art
Askos
- Date
- 200–1 BCE
- Medium
- agate and gold
- Culture
- Greece, Ptolemaic Dynasty
- Department
- Greek and Roman Art
- Institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
This miniature vessel was carved from a single piece of banded agate, polished to a shine, and embellished with a gold lid and gold details on the base. Inside the ring of gold at the base is a trio of gold papyrus stalks, a likely reference to Egypt. In shape, it resembles an ancient wineskin, or askos , though its small size suggests use for luxury perfumes or oils. A tiny crab, likely once inlaid with a precious material, has been carved behind the handle. The knob on the lid connects to a hidden disk to control the flow of liquid.
The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
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