Rooster Pendant

1 of 1

Artist
Name	Unknown
Basic Info
Period	Geometric period
Created in	Ancient & Byzantine World, Europe, Thessaly
Century	8th century BCE
Culture	Greek
Dimensions	6.6 x 6.4 x 1.2 cm (2 5/8 x 2 1/2 x 1/2 in.)
Harvard Museum
Department	Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics
Division	Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact	am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Context

This stylized rooster pendant has a pointed beak and a flat, four-pronged crest on top of its head (1). Its long, curving neck expands into the body before tapering and fattening at the tail into a shape that mimics that of the head. There are no details on the head or body. On the center of the back are the remains of the suspension loop. The legs are two flat, rectangular bars that merge at the base. On the inside of each leg, just below the midpoint, is a small raised knob. Zigzag lines are incised along the exterior of both legs.
 
NOTES:
 
1. For the type, see I. Kilian-Dirlmeier, Anhänger in Griechenland von der mykenischen bis zur spätgeometrischen Zeit, Prähistorische Bronzefunde 11.2 (Munich, 1979) 134-35, nos. 731-39, pls. 39-40 (Harvard’s pendant is no. 732).
 
Lisa M. Anderson

TechnicalDetails

Chemical Composition

Technical Observations

The patina is a varied green with spots of red and brown burial accretions. The surface is fairly well preserved. The shallow relief decorations on the right leg have been reinforced with modern incisions using a sharp point.
 
The bird is a solid cast and was probably modeled directly in the wax. Faint diagonal relief marks decorating the outside of the legs were probably also made in the wax. 
 
Henry Lie (submitted 2012)

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Sol Rabin in honor of David Mitten