Votive relief

Summary

The relief is made of coarse-grained white marble. The surface is weathered. Traces of red colour below and on the sides of the border are visible to the naked eye.

In August, 1991 a marble sample was taken to establish the provenance of the marble by isotopic analysis. The results were inconclusive.

Description of object

The relief shows a very well composed representation of a scene of healing. In the middle a large tree stretches out its bare branches on which there may have been painted leaves. A large snake is wound around the tree trunk, seemingly emerging from a hollow in the tree, and stretching its head towards the main character in the scene. A bearded man is lying on a stretcher carried by three youths. The man is sick, he rests his elbow on a cushion and lifts his right leg towards the snake, whom he also greets with his right hand. The scene is flanked by two young men throwing stones at the snake, the one to the right is naked apart from a small cloak over his shoulder whereas the one to the left is draped in a large cloak.

Choice of methods

Visual examination

• Macroscopic

Marble identification method

• Isotopic analysis: Results: d13C, 1,403 - d18O, -1,27. No match from the database -could be from Macedonia.

Bibliography

F. Poulsen 1951, Catalogue of Ancient Sculpture in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. No. 233a.

M. Moltesen 1995, Catalogue. Greece in the Classical Period. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. No. 67.