TERRA-COTTA. 



BOWL OF TERRA SIGILLATA. 24669. [Plates CLVI-CLVIII.] 



This bowl of red terra-cotta and the similar bowl, No. 24670, were 

 found in the villa from which came the silver pitcher, No. 24668, and 

 the frescoes, Nos. 24671-24673. 



Except for a few places where the glaze has been slightly abraded, 

 it is in perfect condition and as though new. 



The bowl, which rests on a small low base-ring, is shaped something 

 like a shallow calyx with convex bottom, straight sides sloping slightly 

 outward to within a short distance of the top, where they become 

 sharply convex. 



From the concentric rings of the bottom to the triple band of 

 hatching at the top, almost the entire surface is covered with decoration 

 arranged in bands or zones, the widest of which covers the convexity 

 of the bottom, while the next in width is on the side. The lower zone 

 consists of eight panels, in which four subjects are treated, two identical 

 panels placed on opposite sides of the vase being given to each. They 

 are separated by straight twisted stalks, which terminate in rosettes. 

 In four of the panels there are medallions, which are ornamented with 

 reliefs representing a winged Cupid. There are two types, one a nude 

 figure moving to right, though the head is in full face, with right arm 

 outstretched, the other with scarf over left shoulder, moving to left, 

 and holding some indistinct object in his outstretched arm. In the 

 corners outside the medallions there is a U-shaped stem ending in a 

 leaf. Two panels, slightly shorter than those with the medallions, 

 are divided by a horizontal zigzag line terminating in rosettes into 

 two unequal portions. In the narrower upper part a running dog and 

 a crouching hare face a tree or shrub. The center of the lower part 

 is occupied by three rows of slightly overlapping arrow-points 1 ar- 

 ranged in the form of a truncated cone, which might be completed, 

 if the shrub of the upper portion should be added. The corners which 

 remain at the ends are filled with parallel zigzag lines. The two re- 

 maining panels, which are slightly smaller than the others, are occu- 

 pied each by a bunch of flower-stalks fastened together at the center 

 and arranged so as to fill four triangles, which are formed by diagonal 

 zigzag lines. 



1 So Dechelette, La chamique de la Gaule romaine. Vol. i, p. 70 (' 'pointes de fleches imbriquees ") . 

 They look rather like leaves or small shrubs. 



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