Parthian Silver Phalera with the Hunting Scene

The large roundel was made by cutting of a single sheet of silver and hammering it over a mold, probably made of wood, to obtain the motif in relief, the surface was then incised with a point to reveal the anatomical details. Then it was covered with a very fi ne layer of gold which is still remarkably well preserved. The edge is outlined by a fl at ring fi xed by rivets. The hunting scene decorates this object: it involves a rider on his galloping horse who is pursuing two deer (as their long and branched antlers indicate, these are stags). The man is dress in Oriental fashion, with a long, sleeved tunic, pants and boots; he is raising his left arm and is about to strike with his spear the stag, who is running away in front of his horse. Despite such an effort, the animal is already weakened by the arrow which wounded his back at the shoulder level. The precise use of such a roundel is not certain. One idea could be that it could serve as a decorative element of the horse’s harness, but its dimensions are greater than the known phalerae. On the other hand, it is possible that it decorated a bowl as its central medallion: in this case, it would be a stylistic and thematic forerunner of the Sassanian luxury vessels, for which an animal hunting (a lion, boar, bear, and deer) would be considered as a preferable motif.

Some damages on the metal surface (deformations and cracks). Few restorations.

Ex– F. Ligabue collection, ca. late 1970’s; Binoche & Giquello, Paris, May 30th 2012, lot 56.

For the Sassanian scenes, see: HARPER P.O., The Royal Hunt, Art of the Sasanian Empire, New York, 1978. On the use of phalerae, see: Les Perses sassanides, Fastes d’un empire oublié (224-642), Paris, 2006, pp. 73 ff. REEDER E.D., ed., L’or des rois Scythes, Paris, 2001, pp. 288 ff., nos. 141-144.