Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1940)

822 The owl of Athena

Graeco-Roman gems likewise represent Athena winged and
armed, carrying a Nike1, or holding a wreath and accompanied by
her snake2, or grouped with a diminutive warrior3.

Among the finds made in a Scythian grave-mound at Alex-
andropol and now preserved in the Hermitage was the skeleton of
a horse still wearing its phdlara of gilded silver. The frontlet is
embossed with a facing figure of the winged Athena—an excellent
apotropaion*. The goddess mounts guard with spear, shield(?), and
aigis, her faithful owls beside her (fig. 632)°. L. Stephani6 and

Fig. 633.

F. H. Marshall7 referred these horse-trappings to the fourth century
B.C., but E. H. Minns8, on stylistic grounds, assigns them wl
greater probability to late Hellenistic times.

1 Brit. Mus. Cat. Gems'1 p. 360 no. 3850 a fragmentary cameo in paste imitating 5^g0

2 Furtwangler Geschnitt. Steine Berlin p. 127 no. 2779 a violet paste, and no-

a red paste, both from the Uhden collection. * jjje

3 Brit. Mus. Cat. Gems- p. 154 no. 1365 a garnet, in ancient gold setting; fr0111
Blacas collection.

4 Supra i. 336. 0y

5 Reciteil d'antiquiUs de la Scythie St. Petersbourg 1866 Atlas col. pi. J4' 5 '
fig. 632).

6 L. Stephani in the Compte-rendu St. Ptt. 1865 p. 167 f. ,

7 F. H. Marshall in the Journ. Hell. Stud. 1909 xxix. 159f. But in the Br**'
Cat. Jewellery p. 239 no. 2108 pi. 40 he says ' Ca. 300 B.C.'

8 E. H. Minns Scythians and Greeks Cambridge 1913 p. 155.