Cup of the Ptolemies

The Cup of the Ptolemies (French: Coupe des Ptolémées) is an onyx cameo two-handled cup, or kantharos. The cup, decorated with Dionysiac vignettes and emblems, was carved at some point in Classical Antiquity, probably in Alexandria. Eventually, it found its way into the treasury of the French kingdom, before it was donated to the abbey of St. Denis. During the Middle Ages, it was used as a Christian chalice, and lavish mounts were added, with Latin inscriptions. In 1804, the cup was stolen, and the mounts were lost, although the cup itself was recovered. It is now in the Cabinet des Médailles at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris.

The two-handled cameo cup, one of the acknowledged masterpieces among hardstone carvings of classical antiquity, was carved out of onyx and measures 8.4 cm high with a diameter of 12.5 cm. The cup is covered in Dionysiac vignettes and emblems, depicting masks, vases, holy animals, and garland: symbols of the cult itself.

What is today considered the front of the vessel depicts six masks surrounding an anclabris. The anclabris is depicted as if it were made out of marble, and two sphinxes—beings that serve as allegories for the secrets and mysteries of the Dionysian cult—are supporting the table. On the anclabris stands a small statue of Hermes, next to which hangs a mask with pipes. Above this mask may very well be the raven of Apollo. On the left side of the table, a goat is seen resting on the ground, surrounded by the symbols of the cult. Finally, a wicker basket can be found to the right of the table, out of which a snake emerges; this basket motif is often found in Dionysian artwork, and seemingly was an object of great importance to the religion.

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