Ancient Art and Antiquities
Introduction
The Ancient Art and Antiquities collection comprises more than 6,000 objects from seven millennia and is one of the most significant of its kind in Germany. It contains objects from the ancient Near East and Egypt as well as Greek, Etruscan and Roman artworks. Each in their own way, they paint a picture of the life, beliefs, ideas and creative drive of the people who made and admired them. The collection’s main areas of focus are Greco-Roman Egypt, beginning with the time of Alexander the Great, Greek and Italian ceramics in all their different forms, the art of the Etruscans, Roman portraiture and ancient jewellery. Explore the ground floor and embark on a journey through time.
Image / video
Stamnos, Maler der Pariser Kentauromachie, Athen, Mitte 5. Jahrhundert v. Chr., MK&G, Public Domain
Favourite Objects
Weihrelief, griechisch, 4. Jh. vor Christus, Foto: MK&G, Maria Thrun
Antique consecration relief
The depiction of a pair of ears in the form of a marble relief seems somewhat curious. However, such artefacts are not rare: they are votive offerings that were often found around sacred buildings, especially ancient temples. These votive offerings were dedicated to a deity either as a request for healing or as thanks for the recovery of the depicted organ. Examples of such replicated body parts of all kinds made of various materials, usually clay or stone, can be seen in the MK&G's Antiquities Collection. Whether this relief comes from one of the important sanctuaries of the healing god Asklepios, for example from Epidauros or Kos, can unfortunately no longer be determined due to a missing inscription. In the special case of this relief with the ears, another interpretation is conceivable, even the more accurate one: Possibly it was intended for one of the "listening deities" (Gr. theoí epékooi) (e.g. Aphrodite), in the hope that she might help the worries and needs of those praying. Both interpretations lead me to wonder whether human or divine ears are meant here.
Ulrike Blauth, Marketing
Fragment einer Rippenschale, 1. Jh. n. Chr., Foto: MK&G, Public Domain
Glass fragment
This fascinating close-up of an ancient glass fragment comes from the MK&G Collection Online. In reality, the glass fragments are very, very small - just a few centimetres. A selection is on display on the ground floor in the Ancient Art and Antiquities collection. Go on a search for them, it's worth it. In bright colours, filigree patterns and abstract shapes, they lie together in a display case. You should then definitely take a look at more fragments in large view, very close and detailed, in the online collection of the MK&G: Simply enter the word "glass fragment" into the search field and browse through the close-ups - each one more beautiful than the next. I can't get enough of the diverse fragments, which remind me of abstract paintings. By the way, the images of the glass fragments are all in the public domain, so they can be downloaded and used for any purpose. I am sure: at least one image will make it into an album cover. At the latest, if I should ever form a band myself.
Philipp Göbel, Digital Communication
Egyptian relief
In the summer of 1981, I excitedly visited the "Tutankhamun" exhibition at the MK&G alongside my history teacher at the time. I can still remember the exciting journey by train from Lüneburg. The queue of visitors stretched as far as the Alster and I could hardly wait to finally admire the pharaoh's death mask. At that time, I had no idea that many years later I would work in this special museum as assistant to the director. The catalogue still has a place of honour on my bookshelf and my interest in Egyptian art has increased since then. November 2022 marks the centenary of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. This is one more reason why the relief fragment from the tomb of Maya is one of my favourite objects in this house. It is a fragment from the relief wall of a burial chamber. Maya is the name given to the pharaoh's treasurer. He holds lotus flowers in his right hand as a special gift for the tomb lord. On closer inspection, one can see many small pigments whose colourfulness is still visible today. What a special phenomenon!
Gerrit Irmela Scharpen, Assistant to the Director
Relieffragment aus dem Grab des Maja, Ägypten, Sakkara, um 1350–1310 v. Chr., MK&G
Tetradrachm from Entella
This silver coin, minted around 320 to 300 BC, may serve as an example for the numerous stories to be discovered in the collections. It came into the MK&G in 1921 as a brooch. The obverse depicts the head of the spring nymph Arethusa framed by dolphins. The reverse shows a horse's head with a palm tree. A Phoenician inscription refers to Entella, a Punic city in Sicily, as the place of minting. In the myth, the river god Alpheios harasses the nymph. With the help of the goddess Artemis, Arethusa, who has been transformed into a spring, manages to escape to Sicily, where she reappears as a life-giver a stone's throw from the sea. She becomes the patron saint of the city of Syracuse, founded by Greeks in the 8th century BC, which develops into one of the most powerful metropolises in southern Italy, and adorns the city's coins. Perhaps it is the beautiful story or the enchanting face of Arethusa that lead to the adoption of the Greek motif by Entella. More likely, however, is the orientation towards the Greek centre of power, for coins in antiquity not only served as a means of payment, but were an important medium for the transmission of news and propaganda.
Dr. Frank Hildebrandt, Curator, Head of the Ancient Art and Antiquities Collection
Tetradrachme, Silber, um 320–300 v. Chr., geprägt in Entella (Sizilien), MK&G
Lying Anubis from a coffin
Choosing a favourite object in a house full of favourite objects turns out to be a difficult task. Do I take the Feininger toy from the Applied Arts and Design Collection or rather the tea bowl with crane from the East Asian Collection? Spontaneously, I decide on the filigree jackal sculpture of the god Anubis. I am particularly attracted by the straightforward depiction of the animal. In Egyptian small sculptures or reliefs, the reduced forms always catch the eye. The emphasis on the outer lines also has a strong graphic effect and makes it easier to grasp what is being depicted. The use of familiar animals as figures of the gods also creates a direct link to one's own surroundings, so that one can feel very close to the gods. This figure belonged to a lid of a small coffin, which is connected to the meaning of Anubis. Thus Anubis, son of Osiris and Isis, was the god of the necropolis and responsible for the ritual preparation of the corpse, especially the embalming, mouth opening and burial ceremony. The god escorted the deceased before Osiris, weighed the heart and led the dead into the afterlife.
Annika Pohl-Ozawa, Registrar
Liegender Anubis, Ägypten, Spätzeit, 664–342 v.Chr., MK&G
Ancient ribbed bowl made of glass
Among all the great objects in the Collection of Ancient Art and Antiquities, the vases, the sculptures, the small art, it stands out visually: the small Roman ribbed bowl made of mosaic glass, whose intense blue captivates the viewer's gaze. This blue is further emphasised by a white spiral pattern with a three-dimensional impression. But this bowl impresses me not only because of its ravishing colour. The artist has pulled out all the stops of his skill for it, culminating in centuries of experience in handling this precious material. The colourful effect of the glass was aimed at replicating vessels made of precious stones such as agate, giving free rein to imagination and chance. And the most amazing thing: despite the fragile material, the glass bowl has survived the millennia almost unscathed. This may be due to the fortunate circumstance that it served as a burial object, or to the fact that this little treasure has always been appreciated and protected over the course of time. For me, the mystery of its exact origin, its owners and its path through history also contribute to the fascination that this object exudes.
Ulrike Blauth, Marketing
Rippenschale, römisch, um 30 v. Chr. bis 50 n. Chr., Fundort unbekannt, Glas, MK&G
Coloring Book for the Ancient Art Collection
16 young illustrators from HAW Hamburg were inspired by the marvellous objects in the collection and have reinterpreted the lively hustle and bustle of the vases for you. Have fun colouring them in!
