Getty Museum

Engraved Ring with a Woman Feeding a Swan

Date

about 300 B.C.

Medium

Gold

Culture

Greek

Department

Jewelry

Institution

Getty Museum

The bezel of this gold ring is engraved with a woman, naked except for a cloak wrapped around her legs, sitting on a pile of rocks and offering a bowl to a swan. Although several women in Greek mythology, including Aphrodite, are connected with swans, this scene probably depicts the story of Leda, the queen of Sparta, and Zeus, the king of the gods. Zeus often took on an animal form to deceive those after whom he lusted, and here the bird places a possessive foot on the woman's lap, opening its wings to envelop her - a feature of several scenes that clearly depict the myth. By the 200s B.C., the large flat, round bezel was the most common form for Greek rings. The thickness of the hoop is also typical for this period. Engraved gold rings were used as seals, but were also decorative items of jewelry. As with this example, their devices often referenced or enhanced the attractiveness of the wearer.

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