Wine cup with elephant heads on ring handle

Maker(s)
Artist: Sogdians (flourished 4th-8th century CE)
Historical period(s)
early 7th century
Medium
Hammered silver with repoussé, chased, and ring-punched decoration and mercury gilding
Dimensions
H x W x D: 6.3 x 8.7 x 7.1 cm (2 1/2 x 3 7/16 x 2 13/16 in)
Geography
probably Uzbekistan, Central Asia
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F2012.1
On View Location
Freer Gallery 16: Center of the World: China and the Silk Road
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Cup

Keywords
elephant, Sogdia
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Published References
  • The State Hermitage Museum, New York University Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, Bard Graduate Center. The Sogdians: Infuencers on the Silk Roads. https://sogdians.si.edu/the-sogdians-at-home/.
  • J.J. Lally & Co. Oriental Art. Silver and Gold in Ancient China: March 16 to April 14, 2012. Exh. cat. New York. no. 7.
  • Boris I. Marshak. Silberschatze des Orients: Metallkunst des 3-13 Jahrhunderts und ihre Kontinuitat. Leipzig. pp. 61, 75, 88, 427, fig. 80.
  • Gyllensvärd. T’ang Gold and Silver. no. 29 Stockholm, 1957. pp. 63-64, fig. 24k.
  • Qi Dongfang. Les Sogdiens en Chine. Études thématiques, vol. 17 Paris. p. 110, fig. 8.
  • Qi Dongfang. Tang dai Sute shi jinyin daiba bei yanjiu. no. 2 Beijing. pp. 153-170, fig. 1:2, 6:5.
  • Qi Dongfang. Tang dai jinyin qimin yu xifang wenhua de guanxi. no. 2 Beijing. pp. 173-190, fig. 3:10.
  • Qi Dongfang. Tang dai jinyinqi yanjiu [Research on Tang Gold and Silver]. Beijing. pp. 364-65.
Collection Area(s)
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
The Sogdians
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