Samian ware bowl, 135-190 CE

Pottery: Samian ware bowl. Rim broken on one side. Frieze of figures representing Actaeon devoured by his hounds. The subject is indicated by three figures repeated in varying order: (1) Artemis drying herself after her bath: she stands to left with feet close together looking round to right and holding up a towel or piece of drapery to wring it out. (2) Actaeon advances to left on left foot, beardless, wearing short chiton, with a pedum over left shoulder from which hang two hares; at his feet follow two hounds. (3) Actaeon to left with left leg extended and right hand by his side, is devoured by the two hounds which seize his right leg; drapery is twisted round his left arm and in left hand he holds up a pedum. The order of the groups is as follows: 1-2-3, 2, 1-2-3, 2, 1-2-3, 3, 2, 1, forming fifteen figures in all. Between the figures the ground is indicated by plants of asphodel (?) with large six-petalled flowers at top and bottom and spirally-marked stems; between the bottoms of the stems are five-lobed leaves, probably those of the lupin plant. Above the figures, egg-moulding and cable-pattern; below, egg-moulding.