DESCRIPTION

No C 10
Tarquinia, Museo Civico 626
Black-figure amphora

Zeus is seated on a chair. He is represented with head and legs in profile to the right, the body diagonally. Seated, he is almost as tall as the surrounding standing figures. The forearms are extended horizontally forward, the left hand holding a staff. The god has a pointed beard and wears his long hair loose, with a narrow headband. His dress consists of a ohiton and a himation, which covers the arms completely.

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 and carries a shield on the left arm; the right forearm is extended 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 one has the right arm raised and the left arm hanging dowm with clenched fist, the left arm of the other being shown in the same position, or one is shown with one arm raised while the other has both arms hanging down. Behind them stands Ares, characterised as such by helmet, spear and greaves. On the left side stand a god without any attribute, dressed in a chiton and a himation, presumably Poseidon, and a god identified as Hermes by the petasos and the chlamys.

The chair has thin curved plain legs, a low back ending in a swan's head and a cushion on the seat.

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

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