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Decorative Element with Dolphins and Shell
(Roman Empire )
Dolphins flank a seashell, their eyes and mouths exaggerated by the bone carver. The object is intact but was never meant to function by itself. The hollow of the bone runs lengthwise with openings at each end; in addition, openings have been cut at the two low points of the upper side, probably to accomodate metal rods, perhaps of bronze, which would account for the green-stained surface of the object.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
William T. / Henry Walters Collection, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 8/18/1982 | Treatment | cleaned |
Geographies
Roman Empire (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 4 1/16 in. (10.3 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by William T. or Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
71.639