Description:

Rome, ca. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. This is a piece of alabaster that has been carved into a tortoise; the body is carved out on its underside to maintain the translucence of the alabaster. Surface cracks and light carving give the suggestions of shell patterns and flippers. The tortoise features in one of Aesop's fables with Zeus, where he gave her her shell as a punishment for not attending his wedding; this story would certainly have been known to the the Romans, and the late 4th century CE Roman author Servius tells a slightly different version of the story, suggesting that the tortoise was a common figure. On the battlefield, the Romans also used the testudo formation (testudo is Latin for tortoise): aligning their shields to cover their front and heads and clustering close together as they advanced, as if with a tortoise shell. Size: 7.75" L x 3.9" W x 2" H (19.7 cm x 9.9 cm x 5.1 cm)

Provenance: private New Jersey USA collection, acquired over twenty years ago

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#112790

  • Condition: One flipper slightly chipped; natural wear to the alabaster but it gives the piece a nice texture.

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June 8, 2017 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000