Ein Löwenkopfbecher aus dem Heraion von Samos

Funktion, Rekonstruktion und Provenienz eines Weihgeschenkes aus der Zeit der frühen Altäre

Abstract

During the final campaign of the archaeological excavations carried out by the DAI Athens between 2009 and 2013 under the direction of Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier east of the altars, a bronze sheet depicting a lion’s head was found. The context of the find, which was made using repoussé technique, is a deposit layer containing sanctuary debris dating from the late 7ᵗʰ century B.C. Based on the technical findings and corresponding comparative examples, this study suggests that it was the outer shell of a lion’s head cup. Although the lion’s head shows close typological similarities to late Hittite lion depictions, clear differences in the shape and design of the motifs suggest that it is not a West Asian piece but rather a local Samian artifact from the 7ᵗʰ century B.C. The models for this hitherto unique object can be found in West Asia.