Object type
patera
Culture/period
Protohistory and Iberian world
Materials
silver
Technique
casting, embossing
Mint
Production date
-250 / -195
Current location
Exposició permanent
Archaeological site
Castellet de Banyoles
Township
Tivissa (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Tarragona, Ribera d'Ebre)
Dimensions
32 x 155 mm
Description
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Phiale or patera of silver with a central omphalos in the form of a wolf's head. with clear Hellenistic influence. It is dated between the years 250 / 225-195 BC and is part of the Treasure of Tivissa, a generic name covering different finds. This piece along with the other three phiales, a hemispherical decorated cup, ritual goblet vessels, a torque and a spiral bracelet with the representation of a snake was found in 1927 in the Iberian town of Castellet de Banyoles.
The set presents a marked sense of the funerary realm and the Afterworld, being an exponent of the symbolic elements of the elites, related to the recently-located urban sanctuary. This is one of the most famous pieces in the treasure and has been reproduced on stamps and book covers.
The interest of this work lies in the wolf figure in the central omphalos, working from the back. It has its mouth ajar, threatening with teeth defined by a zigzag line. The nose is well defined . The mouth, eyebrows, pointed ears and limits of the face are highlighted in gold. while around the neck it carries a radial decoration of oak acorns.
Precisely because of the representation of the wolf, the patera is clearly associable with the Iberian world. The wolf is often present on Iberian painted figurative vessels in the Levantine style and, for example, in coins minted by Iltirta of Ilerget people, by Ilduro of Laietani people or Iliturgi of Turdetani people. This totemic consideration related to death is also present in other Mediterranean cultures, such as the Greek, Etruscan and Roman. Undoubtedly, the wolf is the largest and most feared predator on livestock in agricultural societies.
RÀFOLS SERRA, J. C. 1941, El poblado ibérico Castellet of Banyoles, Ampurias 3, 15-34. Fig. 5-6 Lam. XII.
© Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Barcelona
Omeka ID
2526