Greece, Hellenistic Period, ca. late 4th to 3rd century BCE. A charming silver basin or phiale, a special libation bowl used for holding wine, with a hollow, rounded, raised boss, known as an omphalos, in the center. This omphalos is gilded with 66% gold (equivalent to 15K+). The omphalos is thought to have symbolized the navel of the earth, the central point of power that all things revolved around. The lower part of the bowl is scalloped/fluted, above which is a corseted neck that flares outward into a wide, smooth mouth with a rolled rim. Size: 4.5" W x 1.25" H (11.4 cm x 3.2 cm); total weight: 96.3 grams; silver bowl is 96% pure silver; gilt: 66% gold (equivalent to 15K+) and 32% silver
Libation bowls, known as phiale, were used across a wide geographical area - from Greece to Tibet, throughout the ancient Near East and Central Asia. These shallow bowls for holding wine in ritual and ceremonial settings were made from many materials - glass, ceramic, and many kinds of metal. Royal vessels were made of precious metals, like this one. They functioned both as tableware and as wealth - they could be stored in the royal treasury or given as gifts to people they were hoping to influence.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Frances Artuner collection, Belgium, acquired in the 1960s
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#144416
Condition
Slight bending to form, notably to the rim. Small loss to the gilding on the omphalos. Light patina on silver surface.