Apollo thumbnail 1
Apollo thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Apollo

Plaque
3rd century-4th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This plaque showing a nude male figure dancing (Apollo?) was found at Bêhnesa in Egypt and originates from the 4th or 5th century.

It was found during the Egypt Exploration Fund's 1903-1904 archaeological excavation season.

It was intended for application to a casket.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Apollo (generic title)
  • A dancer (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bone carved in low relief
Brief description
Plaque, carved bone, Egypt, 3rd-4th century AD
Physical description
A beardless young man with upraised arms, as if playing an instrument (a lyre?), moves to the right whilst averting his face from the viewer by looking down over his right shoulder. He is nude save for a cloak billowing gently from his right shoulder.

The top, bottom and right edge of the plaque are broken away including the left leg and right lower leg of the figure together with his hands and a portion of the instrument held by them.

The plaque is curved in section, thereby revealing the original shape of the animal bone from which it was made.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10cm
Style
Object history
This object was found at Behnesa (Oxyrhynchus) during the Egypt Exploration Fund's 1903-1904 archaeological excavation season.
Historical context
for applying to a casket
Production
Excavated at Oxyrhynchus. Possibly made at Alexandria?
Subjects depicted
Summary
This plaque showing a nude male figure dancing (Apollo?) was found at Bêhnesa in Egypt and originates from the 4th or 5th century.

It was found during the Egypt Exploration Fund's 1903-1904 archaeological excavation season.

It was intended for application to a casket.
Bibliographic references
  • Inventory of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1903 - 1904. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1904, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, 1908, p. 214
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part I. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1927, p. 22
  • Grodecki, Louis. Ivoires Français. Paris, 1947, pl. III and p.23
  • Beckwith, John. Coptic Sculpture. London, 1963, pp. 12, 49, fig. 26
Collection
Accession number
1238-1904

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Record createdSeptember 17, 2003
Record URL
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