plaque

Object NameMosaic Plaque with Apis

Made FromGlass

Date299-1 BCE

TechniqueCast using mosaic glass technique, retouched

SizeOverall H: 6.9 cm, W: 7.4 cm, Th (at plinth): 1.3 cm

Accession Number65.1.3

Curatorial Area(s)

Ancient

Exhibitions

Glass from the Ancient World

Verres Antiques de la Collection R.W. Smith

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

In Egypt, Apis was a sacred bull worshiped at Memphis.

Place Made

probably Egypt; possibly Rome

Physical DescriptionMosaic Plaque with Apis. Emerald-green glass backing, bubbly with thick light brown weathering crust, some patches of iridescence, opaque white, opaque medium blue, opaque red, opaque yellow and translucent deep amethyst glass (appearing black); cast using mosaic glass technique and retouched by wheel-cutting. Rectangular green glass plaque fused to a long rectangular plinth of opaque red glass decorated with a repetitive mosaic glass pattern of four lozenge-shaped petals forming a stylized flower; each is outlined in opaque white with deep amethyst center, the top of the plinth is lined a narrow band of dark amethyst; on top of this stands an Apis bull facing left, his head, back and tail are cast of deep amethyst and retouched, the remainder of his body is cast of opaque white retouched, the four hoofs are medium blue as well as the horns, the sun disc resting on the horns is yellow; a thin band of red has been used as a liner to divide the opaque white from amethyst as well as to outline the millefiori cane employed for the eye, an amethyst center surrounded by white with thin translucent yellow-green liner; above the eye at the level of the horns is a chip revealing opaque white and immediately above that in the center of the opaque yellow sun disc is a small chip of red, this probably indicates a now lost ureaus protruding from the front of the sun disc.
Provenance

Provenance Remark

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