Agora Object: Agora XXX, no. 1653
Chronology:   Probably late first quarter of the 5th century B.C.
Deposit:   D 19:1
Published Number:   AV 30.1653
References:   Object: P 19218
Wall fragment. Max. dim. 0.037.

Uncertain subject. What remains is the head and neck of a pantherskin overlapping something decorated with toothed stripes. At the bottom of the fragment is part of an object that looks like wickerwork and, below its curved lower contour, a bit of reserve. Preliminary sketch. Relief contour. Dilute glaze: two lines on reserve between each stripe; wickerwork. Red: line down each stripe.

The subject is puzzling. The toothed stripes suggest a mattress and pillow, such as those on the St. Petersburg psykter by Euphronios, 644 = St. 1670 (ARV2 16, 15; Paralip. 509; Addenda 153; Euphronios, cat. no. 33) and Bonn 70 by Euthymides (ARV2 28, 12; Addenda 156). If so, the presence of the pantherskin might indicate a Dionysiac theme, perhaps a symposion. The toothed stripes also resemble Oriental costume, for example, that of the Amazon on Würzburg HA 120 = 507 by the Kleophrades Painter (ARV2 181, 1; Paralip. 340, 1; Addenda 186). In this case, the crosshatching could be a wickerwork pelta. But this does not explain the pantherskin.