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Would you drink out of a 2,000-year-old silver stag?
Explore the ancient artistry of a Parthian Empire luxury wine vessel
Stag Rhyton (right profile), about 100–1 BCE Near Eastern (Parthian). Silver, garnet, and glass. 10 13/16 × 18 1/8 × 5 in. Getty Museum
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At first glance, Stag Rhyton could be mistaken for a statuette or horn. And while it has elements of both, Getty antiquities conservator Jessie Arista says the object was actually used to hold and aerate wine.
In the second season of Getty’s Close Looking video series, Getty curators explore the details of artworks they cherish. For this installment, Arista explains why this ancient drinking vessel, used in the Parthian Empire royal court, is so striking. The stag’s muscular legs, the two different colors of glass composing his eye, and the intricate floral decorations hammered into the horn demonstrate extraordinary skill.
“How it looks today is very close to how it looked in antiquity,” says Arista. She believes that such a well-preserved object provides a direct connection to its time and craftspeople who made it.
Learn more by watching the video below!
