Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 2,2): Zeus god of the dark sky (thunder and lightning): Appendixes and index (Cambridge, 1925)

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Appendix N

branches1, on the other hand, the vine-scroll in the Catacomb of Praetextatus,
where again birds are seen among the vine-leaves2. The cemetery of Domitilla
on the Via Ardeatina is believed to go back to Apostolic times3, while that of
Praetextatus on the Via Appia is referred to the second century4. The two re-
presentations of Christ as a young man and as a boy are imperfectly preserved,
but appear to be idealistic rather than realistic figures. The head of the latter
at any rate is, as Dr Eisen duly notes5, reminiscent of a well-known Scopaic
type. The other seated persons are at least to some extent individualised0 and
were almost certainly interpreted as portraits at the time when the graffiti were
added. We know so little at present about the history of Greek portrait-sculp-
ture in the east during the first few centuries of the Christian era that it is
peculiarly difficult to date a given work, especially when executed on a small
scale6. But if we might assume (a somewhat doubtful assumption) that the
development of later Greek portraiture followed the same lines as that of Roman
portraiture, we should have little hesitation in referring these life-like but not
over-realistic heads to the Flavian period (69—96 a.d.). The preceding Augustan
and Julio-Claudian art (31 b.c.—68 a.d.) had been more idealistic and aristocratic.
Trajanic portraits (98 —117 a.d.), though still life-hke, are harder and less sym-
pathetic. In the Hadrianic age (117—138 a.d.) we get a marked loss of indi-
vidualism owing to the revival of old Hellenic ideals. Antonine and Aurelian
carving (138—180 a.d.) is pictorial in effect : loose locks contrast with polished
faces and there is a glint of light on plastic eyes. Realism returns with the third
century, but is accompanied by various tell-tale innovations, e.g. very short hair
shown by pick-marks on a roughened surface. Had the work been later than
this, we should have looked to find standing figures frontally arranged with
formal hair and eyes monotonously drilled. On the whole it may be contended
that the style of the seated persons suits best the end of the first or, possibly, the
beginning of the second century a.d. But, I repeat, the scarceness of strictly
comparable work and above all the smallness of the scale—each head is only
three-eighths of an inch in height—make certainty unattainable.

It remains to speak of the subject represented on the chalice. The nearest
parallels were pointed out by Prof. F. C. Burkitt7 and Sir Martin Conway8, who
both aptly cite a gilded glass or fondo d'oro published by Garrucci (fig. 1009)°.

1 G. B. de Rossi Roma sottcrranea edd.1 J. S. Northcote—W. R. Brownlow London
1869 p. 73 with fig. 10 (ed.2 1879 ii. i2off. fig. 26), R. Garrucci op. cit. Prato 1881 ii. 23
pi. 19, 1. The vine spreads over the vaulted roof in the oldest portion of the catacomb.

2 G. B. de Rossi op. cit. ed.1 p. 78 with fig. 12 (ed.2 ii. 1486°. fig. 37), R. Garrucci
op. cit. ii. 43 f. pi. 37, 1. The vine occupies the third (autumnal) zone of decoration on
the Crypt of St Januarius, who was martyred in 162 a.d.

3 W. Lowrie Christian Art and Archeology New York 1901 p. 65 f., C. M» Kaufmann
Handbnch der christlichen Archiiologie Paderborn 1913 p. 127.

4 C. M. Kaufmann op. cit. p. 127 f.

5 G. A. Eisen in the New Era Magazine for June 1920 p. 416, id. The Great Chalice
of Antioch pp. 63 ff., 74.

6 Whether this individualisation was in any degree due to tooling or retouching of the
original figures before the first gilding of the shell is a point that calls for careful
investigation.

7 In The Cambridge Review 1923—1924 xlv. 253 f.

8 In The Burlington Magazine for Sept. 1924 (xlv. 109).

9 R. Garrucci Vetri ornati di figure in oro trovati 7iei cimiteri dei cristiani primitivi di
Roma Roma 1858 p. 4of. pi. 18, 4 (not 3, as both Prof. Burkitt and Sir M. Conway cite