Silver bowl
Other dimensions: foot height - 3 mm; foot diameter - 42 mm; silver sheet thickness - 1.5 mm.
A few lateral blows deformed it; two more blows deeply chipped the lip of the vase. In some areas of it, under the influence of physical and chemical agents, the good-quality silver that covered the vase has disappeared, revealing the lower-quality alloy. The cup, which is the smallest of the lot, is only 34 mm high and weighs 107.7 g. Its body is roughly cylindrical, with outwardly concave walls. The foot is very short and annular. Here too, the actual cup and the foot were shaped separately, then welded together.
The foot is slightly conical, with a straight base. This one features the same central recessed point as the other vases, surrounded by a groove.
The decoration of the vase consists of a narrow ornamental band in relief on the outer edge of the mouth (kymathion). This ornamental band was made separately and then applied to the wall of the vase. The geometric pattern consists of a row of beads along the outer edge of the lip, beneath which is a decoration made up of small circles, with thin, short, slightly oblique strokes extending upwards and downwards from them, created by incision. Just below this ornament, a second row of beads, smaller than the first, completes the decoration, made by engraving and chasing. Let's also mention a thin circular incision at the bottom of the actual cup.
This vase, too, can, by its shape, be dated from the 1st to the 3rd century, although a similar specimen, discovered in Millingen, has been dated to the early 1st century AD or later. Let us mention that the geometric decoration, as it has long been established, is derived from plant decoration.
The reduced height of the cup led the ancient goldsmith to avoid overloading its surface with additional ornamental elements; therefore, the simple decorative band on the lip enhances the elegance and refinement of the piece, which is further complemented by the contrast between the decorated and undecorated areas.
While we have been able to make some assumptions about the origin of the objects from the Muncelul de Sus treasure described so far, the absence of any specific element prevents us from making similar assumptions for this vase. Some studies suggest that the silver vases from the high imperial period are Italic, but the cup in question could have been made in Gaul, the Orient, or the western part of the empire. As for the date of its creation, we tend to place it in the 2nd century AD and, in any case, in the broader period between the end of the 1st century and the beginning of the 3rd century.
Quantity
1
Weight
107.7 g
Width
3.4 cm
Diameter
7.8 cm
Comment
Inv.no. 4512
Material
Silver
Hoard
