English: Plate depicting Cybele, a votive sacrifice and the sun God. Ai Khanoum, 3rd century BCE (National Museum of Afghanistan, photographed when it was part of a temporary exhibition at
Musée Guimet, Paris, in 2006).
"One of the oldest antiquities found at Aï Khanum, this spectacular disk depicts Cybele, the goddess of nature, and Nike, the personification of Victory, on a chariot drawn by two lions through a mountainous landscape. It is a remarkable example of hybrid Greek and Oriental imagery that typified the arts of Hellenized Asia. Ancient Near Eastern features include: the parasol—a royal symbol—here held by a priest; the stepped altar; the shape of the chariot; the scalloped pattern indicating mountainous terrain; and the moon crescent and the star. The cult of Cybele originated in Anatolia but had long been adopted by the Greeks. Also borrowed from the Greek tradition are the representation of the winged Nike, the bust of the sun god Helios, and the naturalistic rendering of the drapery and the lions. The overall composition of the scene, however, lacking any indication of perspective, is more typical of Near Eastern art. Ceremonial Plaque depicting Cybele on her chariot, early 3rd century B.C., Afghanistan, Aï Khanum, Gilded silver; D. 1/25–2/25 in. x Diam. 9 7/8 in. (1–2 mm x 25 cm), National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, 04.42.7" (
metmuseum.org)
Français : Plaque de Cybèle. Afghanistan, Aï Khanoum, Sanctuaire du temple à niches indentées. IIIe siècle av.n.è. Argent doré, D: 25 cm. Musée National d'Afghanistan, Kaboul. Visible lors de l'exposition temporaire: Afghanistan : Les trésors retrouvés : Collections du Musée National de Kaboul, Pierre Cambon, dir. Musée national des arts asiatiques - Guimet, 2006-2007, éditions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, Paris, 300 pages. ISBN978-2-7118-5218-5. N° 23, page 156
Date
3rd century BC (artefact); 13 December 2006 (according to Exif data) (photograph)
Source
National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, Inv. No. 04.42.7; No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims).
Author
No machine-readable author provided.
World Imaging assumed (based on copyright claims).
Licensing
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional,
public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain in its source country for the following reason:
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the
copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer.
The official position taken by the Wikimedia Foundation is that "faithful reproductions of two-dimensional public domain works of art are public domain". This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted; see
Reuse of PD-Art photographs for details.
English: Plate depicting Cybele, a votive sacrifice and the sun God. Ai Khanoum, 3rd century BCE (National Museum of Afghanistan, photographed when it was part of a temporary exhibition at
Musée Guimet, Paris, in 2006).
"One of the oldest antiquities found at Aï Khanum, this spectacular disk depicts Cybele, the goddess of nature, and Nike, the personification of Victory, on a chariot drawn by two lions through a mountainous landscape. It is a remarkable example of hybrid Greek and Oriental imagery that typified the arts of Hellenized Asia. Ancient Near Eastern features include: the parasol—a royal symbol—here held by a priest; the stepped altar; the shape of the chariot; the scalloped pattern indicating mountainous terrain; and the moon crescent and the star. The cult of Cybele originated in Anatolia but had long been adopted by the Greeks. Also borrowed from the Greek tradition are the representation of the winged Nike, the bust of the sun god Helios, and the naturalistic rendering of the drapery and the lions. The overall composition of the scene, however, lacking any indication of perspective, is more typical of Near Eastern art. Ceremonial Plaque depicting Cybele on her chariot, early 3rd century B.C., Afghanistan, Aï Khanum, Gilded silver; D. 1/25–2/25 in. x Diam. 9 7/8 in. (1–2 mm x 25 cm), National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, 04.42.7" (
metmuseum.org)
Français : Plaque de Cybèle. Afghanistan, Aï Khanoum, Sanctuaire du temple à niches indentées. IIIe siècle av.n.è. Argent doré, D: 25 cm. Musée National d'Afghanistan, Kaboul. Visible lors de l'exposition temporaire: Afghanistan : Les trésors retrouvés : Collections du Musée National de Kaboul, Pierre Cambon, dir. Musée national des arts asiatiques - Guimet, 2006-2007, éditions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, Paris, 300 pages. ISBN978-2-7118-5218-5. N° 23, page 156
Date
3rd century BC (artefact); 13 December 2006 (according to Exif data) (photograph)
Source
National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, Inv. No. 04.42.7; No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims).
Author
No machine-readable author provided.
World Imaging assumed (based on copyright claims).
Licensing
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional,
public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain in its source country for the following reason:
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the
copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer.
The official position taken by the Wikimedia Foundation is that "faithful reproductions of two-dimensional public domain works of art are public domain". This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted; see
Reuse of PD-Art photographs for details.