The Lycurgus Cup

This extraordinary cup was probably made in Rome in the 4th century AD. It is the only complete example of a very special type of glass, known as dichroic, which changes colour when held up to the light. The opaque green cup turns to a glowing translucent red when light is shone through it. The glass contains tiny amounts of colloidal gold and silver (nanoparticles), which give it these unusual optical properties.

The cup is also the only figural example of a type of vessel known as a ‘cage-cup’ (or diatretum). It was made by blowing or casting a thick glass blank. This was then cut and ground away until the figures were left in high relief. Sections of the figures are almost standing free and connected only by ‘bridges’ to the surface of the vessel.

The scene on the cup depicts an episode from the myth of Lycurgus, a king of the Thracians (c. 800 BC). A man of violent temper, he attacked the god Dionysus and one of his maenads, Ambrosia. Ambrosia called out to Mother Earth, who transformed her into a vine. She then coiled herself about the king, and held him captive. The cup shows this moment when Lycurgus is entrapped by the branches of the vine, while Dionysus, Pan and a satyr torment him for his evil behaviour.

The theme of this myth – the triumph of Dionysus over Lycurgus – might have been chosen to refer to a contemporary political event, the defeat of the emperor Licinius (r. AD 308–324) by Constantine in AD 324.

The cup was bought by the Museum in 1958 from Victor, Lord Rothschild for £20,000. The cup is usually on display in Room 41, but from June 2015 will appear in a special case in the new gallery Room 2a, housing the Waddesdon Bequest.

You can read more about this astonishing cup in this blog post by British Museum Curator Belinda Crerar.

A reclining banqueter listens to an aulos-player.  Detail from the tondo of an Attic red-figure cup, attributed to the Colmar Painter; ca. 490 BCE.  Found at Vulci; now in the Louvre.

Theseus greets his stepmother Amphitrite, with Athena standing between them.  Interior of an Attic red-figure cup, signed by the potter Euphronios and attributed to the painter Onesimos; ca. 500-490 BCE.  Found at Cerveteri (Caere), Italy; now in the Louvre.

Silver Roman cup with emperor Tiberius 14-37 a.C.

During the sack of Troy, Ajax son of Oileus (aka Locrian Ajax or Ajax “the Lesser”) seizes Cassandra, who has taken refuge at a statue of Athena.  Tondo of an Attic red-figure cup, attributed to the Codros Painter; ca. 440-430 BCE.  Now in the Louvre.

Reproduction of the Gold Cups from Vapheio

c.1600-1450 BC

Late Helladic I

Mycenaean

(Source: The Metropolitan Museum) 

Cup made of glassy faience and gold 

10.2cm high (4 inch.) Found in Syria. 

Egyptian, New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, reign of Thutmosis III, 1479-1425BC

Source: Metropolitan Museum

Minoan artifacts from University of Illinois at Chicago Library Digital Collections, photos taken in the 1930s.

The first artifact shows a golden Minoan seal ring of a king of the dynasty of Minos, 1650 B.C.E. The scene shows the goddess of vegetation with two hand maidens, invoking the gods for rain. The second photo, a Minoan vase ca. 1530-1750 B.C.E. The upper carving depicts three bulls being lead led into an athletic arena for a bull leaping ceremony. The lower carving depicts pairs of boxers entering the ring equipped with headgear and gloves. The third artifact, a Bronze Age Minoan cup, ca. 1530-1750 B.C.E. The drawing depicts a treaty ceremony involving soldiers and farmers. The soldiers are holding swords and wearing plumed hats, while the two farmers off to the right are carrying staffs and wearing bulkier clothing.

Courtesy University of Illinois at Chicago Library Digital Collections.

Cup depicting a Huntsman and his dog

550 BC

Archaic Greek

(Source: The British Museum)

Cup

470-460 BC

Attic

Within a circle of sets of seven to ten meanders separated by red cross squares, Eos pursuing Kephalos (or Tithonos). Eos wearing spotted sleeved chiton, undertied, an himation over her shoulders, and a spotted cap, runs with wings folded to right, seizing with her two hands the neck and right arm of Kephalos, who flies, looking back; he has long hair looped up over the ears, holds a chelys in his right, and wears a mantle which leaves the right arm free.

(Source: The British Museum)