Getty Museum

Fragmentary Attic Black-Figure Band Cup

Date

550–540 B.C.

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek (Attic)

Department

Vessels

Institution

Getty Museum

An Amazonomachy, including Herakles, decorates the exterior of this cup, which is missing its foot, a handle and much of one side. On side A (more fully preserved), two Greeks battle an attacking Amazon. The leftmost Greek (added white for his cuirass) has a shield with a projecting lion head and attacks to the right. His comrade wears an animal skin over his tunic, and is in flight, looking back. The Amazon attacks to the left, with a shield with a projecting snake. At the centre of the scene, Herakles (wearing a lionskin and with a quiver) attacks to right, brandishing a sword, and holding the scabbard in his outstretched left arm. His opponent (protruding lion head blazon on shield) flees. At right, a Greek (protruding snake head blazon on shield) runs to the left, looking back and brandishing his spear against the Amazon (frontal lion's head blazon on shield) who chases him. A draped youth with a spear watches the scene at far right. Preserved under the handle is the signature of Amasis. The other side of the cup is only partially preserved. At far left, a youth with a spear watches the battle. A Greek archer (wearing a pilos) holding a bow in his left hand and an arrow in his right follows a Greek hoplite (animal skin over tunic, protruding snake blazon on shield), who faces an Amazon (profile lion head blazon on frontal shield). The interior of the cup is black with a reserved circle at the centre, in which is a black ring.

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