Artwork Page for Libation Cup

Details / Information for Libation Cup

Libation Cup

c. 235–185 BCE

India, Maurya period (322–185 BCE)–Shunga period

(185–78 BCE)
Medium
bronze, lost wax technique
Measurements
Diameter: 7 cm (2 3/4 in.); Overall: 6 cm (2 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Dudley P. Allen Fund 2001.2
Public Domain
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Location
242A Ancient India
Print
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Did You Know?

The tree carved into the cup is of the same species as the Bodhi tree, under which the Buddha reached enlightenment.

Description

The remarkably clear, tiny carvings in an uninterrupted frieze around the lower section include one sacred palm tree and one fig tree (ficus religiosa) that divide the space into two main scenes. One features female musicians, the other has two chariots, each drawn by a pair of galloping horses. Bulls, birds, and flowers fill the background spaces. This cup is from a group found in an area with close links to Indo-Greek kingdoms, and the chariots and framing motifs reveal knowledge of Hellenistic art.
A bronze cup-shaped vessel, weathered with a mottled green and tan patina, features a pitted, stone-like texture. Around its middle, a band of repeating spirals rests above a detailed relief depicting a narrative scene. A wheeled cart follows a four-legged creature leaping rightward amidst other figures. The upper section remains undecorated, flaring slightly toward the rim, while the base tapers inward, emphasizing its ancient, oxidized surface.

Libation Cup

c. 235–185 BCE

India, Maurya period (322–185 BCE)–Shunga period (185–78 BCE)

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