Attic Black-Figure Siana Cup Fragment
Part of a double-decker Siana cup, preserving slightly more than half of the bowl, the handle B/A, and part of the low flaring foot. The bowl is deep, with an offset lip. Most of the stem is restored.
Interior. Warrior putting on greaves. He stands to the left, with his right knee raised. He is bearded, and his long hair is tied with a fillet. He wears a cuirass over a short chiton, and a Corinthian helmet sits on the ground. His spear is positioned behind him, its butt extending into the tongue pattern of the tondo. The warrior’s round shield rests in profile against the tondo frame. Around the tondo, two lines, a band of tongues with relief line separators, and two more lines. The rest of the bowl’s interior is black, save for a reserved line on the inside of the lip. The top edge of the lip is black.
Exterior: battle scene, with a chariot (only the horses preserved) to left, and thirteen warriors. Under the preserved handle, a hoplite crouches to right, wearing a cuirass over a short chiton, and with a Corinthian helmet, a round shield and a spear. Before him, a bearded warrior, wearing a pointed helmet or hat, attacking to the right. He wears a cuirass and short chiton, and has a round shield, spear and greaves. His opponent rushes to the left before the chariot. He wears a Corinthian helmet, a cuirass and short chiton. He has a spear, round shield, and greaves. The trace-horses of the chariot wear decorated breastbands. Overlapping the hindquarters of the horses is a fourth warrior, who attacks to right, wearing a cuirass over a short chiton. He has a Corinthian helmet, spear, and greaves. Nothing remains of the charioteer, but to the right are the legs and feet of the remaining warriors on side A.
The fight extends to side B. Two warriors, running to right, are partially preserved beside the missing handle, and on their right are four dueling hoplites. In the first pair, a warrior flees to the left, looking back towards his attacker. Both men have a Corinthian helmet, cuirass, and short chiton. In the second pair, a bearded warrior advances to the right, as his opponent, also bearded, attacks to left.
Around the offset lip, upright lotus buds. Directly below the offset, a black line. The surviving handle is black on the outside only. Below the figured zone, two black lines, a band of chevrons, and two more black lines. Above the black bottom of the bowl are sixty-six thin rays. The exterior of the foot is black, while the underside and interior of the stem are reserved with two thin lines.
Adapted from Clark, A. CVA Malibu 2 (1990).
Interior. Warrior putting on greaves. He stands to the left, with his right knee raised. He is bearded, and his long hair is tied with a fillet. He wears a cuirass over a short chiton, and a Corinthian helmet sits on the ground. His spear is positioned behind him, its butt extending into the tongue pattern of the tondo. The warrior’s round shield rests in profile against the tondo frame. Around the tondo, two lines, a band of tongues with relief line separators, and two more lines. The rest of the bowl’s interior is black, save for a reserved line on the inside of the lip. The top edge of the lip is black.
Exterior: battle scene, with a chariot (only the horses preserved) to left, and thirteen warriors. Under the preserved handle, a hoplite crouches to right, wearing a cuirass over a short chiton, and with a Corinthian helmet, a round shield and a spear. Before him, a bearded warrior, wearing a pointed helmet or hat, attacking to the right. He wears a cuirass and short chiton, and has a round shield, spear and greaves. His opponent rushes to the left before the chariot. He wears a Corinthian helmet, a cuirass and short chiton. He has a spear, round shield, and greaves. The trace-horses of the chariot wear decorated breastbands. Overlapping the hindquarters of the horses is a fourth warrior, who attacks to right, wearing a cuirass over a short chiton. He has a Corinthian helmet, spear, and greaves. Nothing remains of the charioteer, but to the right are the legs and feet of the remaining warriors on side A.
The fight extends to side B. Two warriors, running to right, are partially preserved beside the missing handle, and on their right are four dueling hoplites. In the first pair, a warrior flees to the left, looking back towards his attacker. Both men have a Corinthian helmet, cuirass, and short chiton. In the second pair, a bearded warrior advances to the right, as his opponent, also bearded, attacks to left.
Around the offset lip, upright lotus buds. Directly below the offset, a black line. The surviving handle is black on the outside only. Below the figured zone, two black lines, a band of chevrons, and two more black lines. Above the black bottom of the bowl are sixty-six thin rays. The exterior of the foot is black, while the underside and interior of the stem are reserved with two thin lines.
Adapted from Clark, A. CVA Malibu 2 (1990).
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)