Agora Object: Agora XXX, no. 442 Chronology: | | First quarter of the 4th century B.C. | Deposit: | | K--L 6--8 | Published Number: | | AV 30.442 | References: | | Object: P 3035
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Wall fragment. Max. dim. 0.10.
Chariot (left hind leg of horse, hock of right; part of wheel) to left above pyre (top with flames). At the lower right, Nike (head with wreath, part of wing), also to left. Relief contour. White: wreath; flames (flaked). Dilute glaze: part of wing.
That the object below the horse's hoof should be identified as a pyre and not as an altar is made clear by the presence of flames alongside it; they do not appear solely on top.
The horse is the left-hand trace horse, and it overlaps the left wheel of the vehicle. For good comparisons, see the namepiece of the Painter of London F 64 (ARV2 1419, 1; LIMC V, 1990, p. 129, no. 2922, pl. 121, s.v. Herakles) and Ferrara 15637 = T.376 B VP from the Group of Ferrara T.376 B (ARV2 1424, 1; Addenda 376; LIMC V, p. 129, no. 2923, pl. 121). Both show Herakles leaving in a chariot driven by Nike. This may be the subject of 442, although normally a nymph, not Nike, appears next to the pyre dousing the flames, and the pyre is likely to be a jumble of logs. An exception appears on the bell-krater by the Painter of London F 64 in S. Agata de'Goti, Mustilli Coll. (ARV2 1420, 5; LIMC V, p. 129, no. 2918, illustrated: here the logs are neatly piled). For this theme, see LIMC V, pp. 128--129, s.v. Herakles (J. Boardman).
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