A Greek Bowl from Tibet

Abstract

(two of the figures are repeated identically). The maximum projection of these relief figures is 9 millimetres. Parts of the trees loop clear of the bowl's surface, showing that they are made of plates of silver about I 5 millimetres thick. Each relief figure and tree is composed of one main piece following the natural outlines fairly closely; a few additional parts such as side branches and flying scarves are made of separate pieces. Each piece has a narrow flange around its edge, and has been secured to the bowl by beating portions of the surface, perhaps raised beforehand into slight ridges, over the flange to make neat, sometimes scarcely detectable joins. Signs of beating are apparent on the outer surface which is much less smooth than the inner. In a few places short lengths of the overlapping surface have been chipped away to reveal the fixing technique quite clearly.2 Extra details have been chiselled into the figures, in one place overlapping the join between figure and bowl. Parts of the trees may have been soldered on, as has the simple ring foot. It is possible that the bowl consists of an inner and outer shell, the flanges of the relief figures being anchored between the shells which would be joined at the upper moulding and the ring foot. In the middle of the medallion within the foot is a mark perhaps used for centring a pair of compasses or a lathe, surrounded by a small undecorated circle. Between this and the ring a design of six fishes in water has been incised into the bowl's surface (P1. IV). The foreparts of each fish stand out a little-it is not easy to see how this has been achieved. The design has been incised after the foot was soldered on.