Description

This is the first comprehensive and fully illustrated study of silver vessels from ancient Macedonia from the 4th to the 2nd centuries BC. These precious vessels formed part of dining sets owned by the royal family and the elite and have been discovered in the tombs of their owners. Eleni Zimi presents 171 artifacts in a full-length study of form, decoration, inscriptions and manufacturing techniques, set against contemporary comparanda in other media (clay, bronze, glass). She adopts an art historical and sociological approach to the archaeological evidence and demonstrates that the use of silver vessels as an expression of wealth and a status symbol is not only connected with the wealth spread in the empire after Alexander's the Great expedition to the East, but constitutes a practice reflecting the opulence and appreciation for luxury at least in the Macedonian court from the reign of Philip II onwards.

Features

• Presents an invaluable perspective on aspects of Macedonian society and culture in the critical period of the second half of the fourth century BC when the kingdom was growing into an empire
• Extensive comparanda introduce other artefacts, offering a global approach to the subject
• Includes a full catalogue, with accompanying illustrations of all the individual objects

Product Details

352 pages; 171 illus.; ISBN13: 978-0-19-955044-9ISBN10: 0-19-955044-1

About the Author(s)