The Flickr Bucrania Image Generatr

The finely made base is decorated with a relief of interwoven plane-tree branches surmounted by bucrania (ox skulls). The rectangular setting on the base's upper surface suggests that it was used as a plinth for a statue, perhaps of Hercules. In the area of its discovery, there was probably an open-air sanctuary dedicated to the hero, for whome the plane tree was sacred.

There are visible suggestions of degraded pigments, but I couldn't find whether any tests had been performed on this base (I doubt it).

Roman, from Rome, lungo il Tevere (banks of the Tiber River) in front of the Castel Sant'Angelo. Augustan period, late 1st century BCE-early 1st century CE)

Museo Archeologico Romano, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome (inv. 417)

White Luni marble
Roman Imperial period, 2nd c. CE (possibly 134-139 CE)
Possibly from the decoration of the external base of the Mausoleum of Hadrian (see on Pleiades)

Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo
Inv. CSA IV/139

White Luni marble
Roman Imperial period, 2nd c. CE (possibly 134-139 CE)
Possibly from the decoration of the external base of the Mausoleum of Hadrian (see on Pleiades)

Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo
Inv. CSA IV/139

White Luni marble
Roman Imperial period, ca. 120-140 CE (possibly 134-139 CE)
Possibly from the decoration of the external base of the Mausoleum of Hadrian (see on Pleiades)

Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo
Inv. CSA IV/138

Sleeping Eros-Cupid is a well-known theme in Greek and Roman art, with marble and bronze versions held in various museums across the world. Here, the god of love, sleeps on a lion's skin with his bow in hand. The sides of this box are decorated with playful putti holding garlands and bulls' heads (bucrania), an ancient sign of fertility.

The lion's skin is probably meant to remind the user of the Nemean Lion skin, which Hercules wears. Thus this could have additional meanings, that love conquers all - even the strength of Hercules. There are several mosaics, sculptural pieces, and frescoes from the Roman world that echo this theme.

Roman or Byzantine
ca. 300-400 CE
Made in the Eastern Roman Empire?
Silver

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (47.100.33)

The left side of this marble funerary altar shows what seems to be two slaves (I don't want to use the term 'servant', because slaves ran the household). One holds an umbrella, and the other holds out a basket filled to overflowing with fruits in one hand, and a hand towel in the other. Obviously, they're serving their master and mistress after death. Here also we can see the flanking pilasters that are carved with vegetative motifs - very much like the relief pilasters on the Ara Pacis.

Above this tableau are two bucrania (ox skulls) with a garland and ribbons - standard funerary and religious trappings. We also see a bird attacking a snake, and a mother bird feeding her young, frequently seen on the sides of funerary altars, although usually part of the center scene. At the top, we can see the vegetative sides of the 'scrolls', the ends of which are poppy flowers.

Museo Nazionale Romano, Baths of Diocletian

To see the front of this altar, click here:

flic.kr/p/2pAANfM

Posted to Guess Where London on 04-08-22.

GWL301

Fragment of a Roman terracotta antefix with central acanthus and bucrania frieze.
Late 1st c. BCE-1st c. CE

A long rectangular cistern, cut into the bedrock during the Late Republican period (ca. 1st c. BCE) to supply a villa, was converted into a mithraeum in the late 2nd or early 3rd c. CE, with the addition of encaustic paintings directly onto the pre-existing waterproof cement.

The mithraeum was discovered during the enlargement of a wine cellar in 1963, and came to the attention of archaeologists shortly thereafter. Because of the need to maintain strict atmospheric conditions to preserve the paintings, it is not regularly open, though visits are occasionally offered.

Photographed in the display area of the Mithraeum in Marino, Lazio, Italy

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Cup with repousse relief of cranes hunting snakes in a swampy landscape with bucrania. Roman Imperial. 1st Century AD. Silver. Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. Napoli, Campania, Italy. Copyright 2016, James A. Glazier. Special exhibit on landscapes in ancient art. So poorly mounted and displayed, you wondered why they bothered to hold it. A pity, because it contained some lovely pieces. Clear example of the contempt the Italian Archaeological Services have for their audience and taxpayers.

Cup with repousse relief of cranes hunting snakes in a swampy landscape with bucrania. Roman Imperial. 1st Century AD. Silver. Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. Napoli, Campania, Italy. Copyright 2016, James A. Glazier. Special exhibit on landscapes in ancient art. So poorly mounted and displayed, you wondered why they bothered to hold it. A pity, because it contained some lovely pieces. Clear example of the contempt the Italian Archaeological Services have for their audience and taxpayers.

Bronze relief of Artemis with torches at an Altar attended by two boys dressed as satyrs. Greek, Hellenistic, late 3rd Century BC. Fountain of Minoe, Delos, Greece. From the Archaeological Museum, Delos. Special Exhibition: Pergamon and the Hellenistic Kingdoms of the Ancient World. Metropolitan Museum. New York, New York, USA. Copyright 2016, James A. Glazier.

Miniature altar for salt offering with metopes, bucrania and swags. Gilded silver tableware from Morgantina, Italy (Magna Grecia). Hellenistic, 3rd Century BC. Special Exhibition: Pergamon and the Hellenistic Kingdoms of the Ancient World. Metropolitan Museum. New York, New York, USA. Copyright 2016, James A. Glazier. Originally excavated illegally and purchased by the Metropolitan Museum. After a law suit returned to the Museo Regionale di Aidone, Sicily.

Bucrania (garlanded bulls' skulls) alternating with paterae (the shallow libation dishes) in the metopes reinforces the solemn sacrificial theme.

Bucrania (garlanded bulls' skulls) alternating with paterae (the shallow libation dishes) in the metopes reinforces the solemn sacrificial theme.

Bucranium: plaster sculpture(s) of a bull's skull.

Bucrania are the garlanded bulls skulls commonly found carved on Classical and Neo Classical buildings. They are a reminder of the days of sacrifice when bulls were draped in garlands of flowers before bring killed and after sacrifice their skulls would be hung on temple walls (many have survived from all over the ancient world).

--more pictures inside--