THE GREAT CRATER

Found at Hildesheim in 1868. This and a number of other pieces form the collection known as The Hildesheim Treasure, now at the Kaiser Friedrich Museum, Berlin.

This wine crater is entirely of silver, a piece of supreme workmanship of Roman origin. Very delicate decoration, anticipating the Renaissance: Winged griffins and other monsters, half ox, half lion, at the base; aquatic animals, genii angling and spearing fish.

There is a second vessel inside, acting as a liner, to take the weight of the fluid off the decorated bowl. The complete weight is 9451.8 gr., but the inner liner is stamped CVM BASI PONDO XXXXI—41 pounds with the base. The weight of silver pieces was inscribed as a check on the slaves.

The bowl is 0.36 meter (about 14¼ inches) in height and 0.353 meter in diameter. It stands on the tripod which is depicted separately.