No C 08
London, British Museum B 147
Black-figure amphora from Vulci
Group E

Zeus is seated on a throne. He is represented with head and legs in profile to the right, the body almost facing. Seated, he is almost as tall as the surrounding standing figures. The feet rest on a footstool. The right forearm is extended almost horizontally forward, the hand grasping a thunderbolt. The left arm is extended obliquely upward, the hand holding a staff. The god has a pointed beard and wears his long hair loose. His dress consists of a chiton and a himation, which covers the upper arms.

Athena is represented emerging from the head of Zeus in a sprinting position, head and legs in profile to the right, the body facing. Her dress presumably consists of a peplos an epiblematon and the aigis. The aigis is bordered by a fringe of serpents. The goddess wears a helmet, carries a shield, seen from the back, on the outstretched left arm and holds a spear in her right hand.

There are seven other deities in the picture. On the right side stand Eileithuia, who is identified by the inscription of her name, with a diadem in her hair, the right hand raised, with palm turned inward and extended fingers, the left forearm extended horizontally forward with clenched fist, Herakles, identified by the lion's skin, and Ares, identified as such by helmet, shield and spear. On the left side the four deities are identified as Apollo, by the zither, Poseidon, by the trident, Hera, wearing a diadem in her hair, by the inscription of her name and Hephaistos by the axe.

The throne has rectangular legs decorated with double palmettes and cut-out incisions round their stems. The throne is backless, but has a horse's protome at the rear corner.

Two naked men, possibly wrestlers, stand between the legs of the throne with the tops of their heads touching the underside of the seat. A bird is seen flying over the heads of Hera and Poseidon.

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