No C 09
Nostell Priory, Yorkshire
B1ack-figure amphora
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 on a 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 upper arms.

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. She wears a helmet and carries a shield on the left arm; the right forearm is extended almost horizontally forward with clenched fist.

There are five other deities in the picture. On the right stand two goddesses close together. The position of whose arms is not clear. Either both have the right arm extended obliquely upward with palm turned outward and extended fingers and the left hanging down with clenched fist, or one has both arms extended obliquely upward while the other has them both hanging down. Behind them stands Ares, characterised as such by helmet, shield, spear and greaves. On the left side the two gods are identified as Apollo, by the zither, and Poseidon, by the crown.

The throne has rectangular legs decorated with double palmettes and cut-out incisions round their stems. The throne is backless, but has a swan's head at the rear corner.

The small figure of a man is seen between the legs of the throne; he is dressed in a chiton and a himation, which completely covers his arms.

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