Abstract
An expertly carved, one-half inch high ring stone without provenance in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, bears a portrait bust clad in effeminate attire, which gives several indications of Alexandrian manufacture. The portrait can be identified with great probability as Ptolemy IV Philopator, dressed as a gallos - a devotee of the Syro-Phrygian Great Mother Goddess, Hera/Cybele. It is known that Ptolemy IV was devoted to that cult, arranging for the orgiastic 'Gallos dance' to be performed at the Alexandrian court and personally assuming the by-name 'Gallos'. The New York bezel must have belonged to the signet ring of a very prestigious individual at the Ptolemaic court.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
