Seal Impression on soft clay from basalt cylinder.
Seal Impression on soft clay from basalt cylinder. Fertility god (Ningizzida ?) seated on snake throne left arm raised. Behind him is inverted spear standard with a star at the top of the haft. Approached by 2 male deities, 1st right arm raised, second clasping sword with one hand and leading Supplicant. God and deities wear triangular hats, long square beards, and chignon like hairdress. Supplicant had pointed beard and short hair, no hat, and fringed garment. Clothed in long garments with one shoulder bare. An important seal. Early Dynastic Period III ca. 2300 B.C.
The Museum has more than 200 pieces of Roman glass, from 50 B.C. to A.D. 400. On the left is a Roman cinerary urn from the 1st century A.D. The unusually shaped bottle on the right is one of several in the Museum's collection that were uncovered in the 1890s during excavations at Boscoreale near Pompeii, Italy. Like Pompeii, the Boscoreale villas were overwhelmed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The cobalt blue color is original. However, the iridescence is due to changes that occurred after it became buried in volcanic ash.
A103732, A109999/FM24606, FM24581
Gold Necklace
The jeweler’s art reached a high level of skill among the Etruscans and their successors, the Romans. The hair on each face bead of this gold necklace is ornamented by the “granulation” technique-- precisely arranging and fixing many tiny gold spheres onto a gold base. This process remained a mystery until just a few years ago, when jewelers succeeded in reconstructing it by studying museum collections, including those of The Field Museum. (Seventh-fifth century B.C.).
A110409/FM239189
Marble Cinerary Vessel
The Museum’s Etruscan collection includes several complete tomb groups from sites in ancient Etruria (modern Tuscany in Italy). Fighting figures adorn one side of the body of this marble cinerary vessel. W 8-1/2 x L 20-1/2 x H 15 inches. (Sixth - fifth century B.C.).
