Bulletin du Musée National de Varsovie (3.1962)

polishing of the border around the outline of tlie scull, and not of the lower part, proves that
our plaquette had such a function. As the side edges are also polislied it seems to be elear that
the plaquette was not put into a niche corresponding to its shape, but that it was fastened
on the object, and that the part which it decorated had to have a shape which suited the
outline of the placąiette. After studying the shape of the head of our Silenus carefully, one
notices that its widest part is much lower than in a normal skuli, and the linę of the neck
where it narrows does not pass straight down, but curves to the left which deforms the skuli
slightly — doubtlessly on purposc — so that the shape of the plaquette strictly corresponds
to the object it was to decorate. It is elear that this object was curved to the left in the place
nearest to the decoration in question. Assuming that these plaquettes were applied to wooden
objects — most probably to pieces of furniture, we should look for parts where curved ends
were decorated in order to find the place the plaquettes oceupied. Places that could well be
decorated with plaquettes in the shape of an inclined head in profile were the upper corners
of the fulerum of a couch. We know from many examples that the beds, and especially the
couches for banquests, in the Hellenistic period, were decorated with Dionysian symbols11. The
heads of Satyrs and Maenads often decorate the fulerum of the beds.12 Unfortunately very few
bone decorations have been preserved as compared with the very popular bronze ones. The
image represented on our plaquette was probably carved only in bone as we do not know of
any similar examples in metal. Most of the bronze ornaments of the upper part of the fulerum
of the couch represent heads of animals (mostly mules) which belong to the Dionysus suitę.
These heads, in spite of being made of another materiał, have muchin common with our plaquette.
The most important features common to all ornaments on the upper corners of the fulera of
banquet couches, and to our plaquette are the foliowing: the half-oval cut in the lower part;
a similar incline of the head in relation to the straight position of the vertical cut; symbolic
connection of the ornaments with the cult of Dionysus; analogical wreaths on the heads con-
sisting of a twig of vine or ivy with corymbs; and a round opening for the pług, which is similar
to that in the head of our Silenus, and is to be found on some of the heads of animals.13

The bone ornaments, which had to be worked by hand and are of equal artistic value to
our plaquette, could undoubtedly decorate the front corners of the fulerum. It is known that
the ornaments at the back of the bed were far more modest and did not have to have the same
symbolic value as those on the front. They could have been the heads of horses, ducks
etc.14 It is difficult to define the objects which were decorated by bone ornaments because
these wooden objects were easily destroyed.15

Our Silenus' head is dated at the Illrd-IInd centuries BC.16

It is extremely difficult to identify what ornaments of this kind were used for, and this
study is only one suggestion towards solving this problem. Further investigation will be worth
while.

11. C. L. Ransom, Studies in Ancient Furniture. Couches and Beds of the Greehs, Etruscans and Romans, Chicago, 1905, p. 86.

12. C. L. Ransom, op. cit. p. 87.

13. C. L. Ransom, op. cit. pl. XIV, B.

14. C. L. Ransom, op. oit. p. 83.

15. Other bone ornaments of a different type of composition, but having an identical subject and dccorating some other
part, perhaps also of a bed (Compare the ivory placruette excavated in Athens representing Silenus' head fuli face
with three round openings for the plugs, Miniaturę Sculpture from the Athenian Agora, Excavations of the Alhenian
Agora, picture book No. 3 by D. B. Thompson, Princeton, N. J., 1959, photograph 43).

16. Cf. K. Michałowski, BCH, LXXXII, 1958,1, Ul. 3; M. L. Bernhard, Pamiętnik, op. cit., p. 114.

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