The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 26, 2024
Sphinx
c. 500 BCE
Overall: 5.8 x 2.3 cm (2 5/16 x 7/8 in.)
Location: 102D Pre-Roman
Did You Know?
A sphinx combines the body of a winged lion with the head of a woman.Description
Amber, a form of fossilized tree resin, was much prized in the ancient Mediterranean world, perhaps due to its mysterious luminosity, fragrance, and magnetism. It was often carved into figures or heads of humans, animals, or mythical creatures. Small perforations on this sphinx suggest that it may once have been mounted, perhaps for use as a pendant. Although now opaque and crackled due to age, in antiquity the surface probably exhibited some degree of translucence, a valued attribute for amulets and ornaments.- CMA 1986: "Year in Review for 1985," CMA Bulletin 73 (Feb. 1986) 62, no. 2.
- {{cite web|title=Sphinx|url=false|author=|year=c. 500 BCE|access-date=26 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1985.49