Analysis of the Vessels from the Panagyurishte Treasure
The Panagyurishte Treasure is one of the most significant discoveries in Bulgaria. In this and the following articles, we will conduct an analysis of the vessels from the Panagyurishte Treasure, examining in detail their symbolism and the depicted scenes.
On each vessel, a different moment from Greek mythology is depicted. It is important to note that the artifacts are crafted with high precision, even in the smallest detail. The deities are represented as young and strong, and all other individual elements are unique in themselves.
Analysis of the Rhytons in the Shape of Animal Heads
This group includes three rhytons. They are constructed in the same way. Their lower part takes the form of an animal head, while the upper part forms a wide mouth, decorated with a belt of high-relief images.
First Rhyton
Its lower part depicts the head of a deer. It is adorned with large, branched stag antlers, serrated at the edges. The solid base of the antlers is represented with a raised, embossed rosette. The snout is smooth, with pronounced folds of skin around the mouth, nose, and eyes. Between the antlers and the eyes, the surface of the gold is wrinkled with small lines representing hair. Eyelashes are crafted on the eyelids. The drinking opening of the rhyton is represented by a small round hole in the center of the lower lip. The handle of the rhyton is a hollow cylindrical rod. At its lower end, it terminates with the head of a woman, attached to the body of the vessel. At its upper end, it is crafted in the form of a figure of a lion, standing with its front paws on the wide mouth of the rhyton.
Around the neck of the rhyton are four images. Next to the handle is the goddess Athena, beside her sits Paris, next to him on a throne is Hera, and between the figure of Hera and the handle of the rhyton is depicted Aphrodite. Their names are inscribed with a dotted line of indentations. Here, the four images are not given randomly. Only in one case is Paris (Alexander) connected with the three goddesses in Greek mythology: when he must decide which of the three is the most beautiful – the plot of the decoration of this rhyton.
Second Rhyton
In shape, it is almost identical to the previous one: it has a lower part in the form of a stag head and a mouth and handle similar to the previous rhyton. The elements of its handle, covered with ornaments and resembling joints of a reed stem, are absent. Instead, here are vertical grooves.
The grouping of the images around the neck of the rhyton is also different. They are not arranged as four figures forming one group but are divided into two symmetrical groups: Heracles fighting the Ceryneian hind and Theseus fighting the Marathonian bull. In the first group, Heracles has grabbed the deer with both hands by its antlers (replacing the legendary Ceryneian hind) and presses it to the ground with his right leg. In the second group, Theseus has grabbed the bull by its horns and presses it with his left leg to create symmetry. It is interesting to note that the animals are depicted proportionally smaller compared to the human figure. The images are on a cylindrical surface. The treatment is conventional but appropriate, as it is adapted to the pictorial surface.
Third Rhyton
It is similar in shape to the previous two rhytons, but its lower part represents a ram’s head. It lacks the large deer antlers made of solid gold, as in the previous two rhytons. The ram’s head has small flattened horns, a smooth snout with folds around the mouth, nose, and eyes, and a wavy forehead and neck.
As with the previous rhytons, the neck of this rhyton is decorated with relief images. On the front side, above the ram’s snout, are depicted Dionysus and the Bacchante Eriopis. On both sides of this group are dancing Bacchantes. Above the heads of Dionysus and Eriopis, their names are inscribed with indented dots. The entire decoration of the neck of the rhyton is based on the contrast between the calm figures of Dionysus and Eriopis and the dynamic dancing Bacchantes.
Literature:
Venedikov, Ivan. The Panagyurishte Gold Treasure. Sofia, Bulgarian Artist Publishing House
Media:
Authorial material – Dr. Pavel Tsvetankov, Antonia Krachunova
See More:
Analysis of the Artifacts (Part Two)
Analysis of the Artifacts (Part Three)
