Bronze Panthers from Cybele’s Chariot

Culture: Roman

Period: 1st-2nd century A.D.

Material: Bronze

Dimensions: 14 cm x 7 cm

Price: Sold

Ref: 3188

Provenance: English private collection, thence Artemission, where it was sold in 2011 as a rein guard. Thence again in an English private collection.

Condition: Except for some ancient wear on the neck of one panther intact and of excellent quality.

Description: Excellently worked bronze with two parallel standing panthers, their heads turned away looking sideways. Their paws holding each a circular suspension depicting the handsome young Attis with a Phrygian cap. The suspensions are connected with a shaft on which the other paws of the panthers are resting. The predators are extremely finely and elegantly worked out, their fur on the heads and snouts with many details, their backs with long vertex and hallmarks indicating the pelt. In ancient times the deeply pierced eyes had colorful gems as inlays. The mystery cult of the goddess Cybele and her lover Attis was spread out through Phrygia and Greece into the Roman Empire where it was very popular for many centuries. This bronze model is most probably part of a chariot. Comes with a high base.