No C 03
Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum IV 3596
Black-figure amphora from Cerveteri
Group E

Zeus is seated on a throne. He is represented with head and legs in profile to the right, the body almost facing. Seated, he is almost as tall as the surrounding standing figures. The feet rest one footstool. The right forearm is extended almost horizontally forward, the hand grasping a thunderbolt. The left arm is extended obliquely upward, the hand holding a staff. The god has a pointed beard and wears his long hair loose. His dress consists of a chiton and a himation, which covers the right upperarm and most of the left arm.

Athena is represented emerging from the head of Zeus in a sprinting position, head and legs in profile to the right, the body facing. Her dress presumably consists of a peplos and an epiblematon. She wears a helmet, carries a shield on the left arm, and holds a spear in the right hand.

There are two deities on each side of the picture. On the right a goddess, the forearms extended almost horizontally, with palms turned towards each other and extended fingers, and Ares, characterised as such by helmet, shield and greaves. On the left side the two gods are identified as Apollo, by the zither, and Hermes, by the petasos, the chlamys and the endromides.

The throne has rectangular legs ending in lion's paws. A stretcher-rail is joined to the seat by three bars. The throne is backless, but has a swan's head at the rear corner.

A small figure of a siren is seen between the legs of the throne. The tops of the wings and the head touch the stretcherrail.

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