(The So-Called Warren Cup) and Roman Silver Plate
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BABESCH 90 (2015), 155-198. doi: 10.2143/BAB.90.0.3089919 A Cantharus from ancient Betar near Jerusalem (the so-called Warren Cup) and Roman Silver Plate Dyfri Williams Abstract This article examines in detail a Roman silver cantharus, said to be from ancient Betar, near Jerusalem (Pales- tine), and attempts to set it in its wider material, social and historical contexts. After consideration of the construction and condition, the scenes are discussed and attention drawn to the Greek elements in the iconog- raphy of the scenes of homosexual intercourse, especially the hair, which also provides a guide to the age and status of the figures. The possible impact of the iconography on the users of the cantharus, the status of its purchaser, and its final archaeological context are all touched on. Connections between small-scale vessels in various materials are also noted, especially Arretine pottery. Finally, questions are raised about individual craftsmen and workshops, signing and copying, and even chronology.* INTRODUCTION scenes of homosexual intercourse remain (figs 1-2). It is first recorded on the antiquities market The silver cantharus said to be from ancient Betar in 1909 and was purchased by the great collector (19th and early 20th centuries Bittir; modern Battir) Edward Perry Warren in 1911. It was first illustrated in Palestine, commonly known as the Warren in 1921 by G. Vorberg but without comment, briefly Cup, has at last quit its earlier, socially required discussed by C. Vermeule in 1963 and included obscurity and entered both the academic and the by D. Strong in his magisterial handbook on Greek public worlds, however mutable reactions to its and Roman gold and silver plate of 1966.1 Fig. 1. Silver cantharus, said to be from Betar (Pales- Fig. 2. Silver cantharus, said to be from Betar tine): side A. London, British Museum GR (Palestine): side B. London, British Museum GR 1999,0426.1 (photo British Museum). 1999,0426.1 (photo British Museum). 155 98228_Babesch_90(2015).indd 155 31/08/15 13:20 The acquisition of the cantharus by the Ameri- or adjustments, and engaging with aspects that can scholar and connoisseur Ariel Herrmann in could not be properly or easily included within 1966 eventually brought about its public accept- the small scale of what was essentially a popular ance. She first placed it on loan in the Basel introduction.10 I also now prefer to refer to it as Antikenmuseum in 1972, although it was not the Betar cantharus, rather than the ƕWarren CupƔ, exhibited.2 The inclusion of an image of a copy of since we know something of its ancient, as opposed the vessel by Catherine Johns in her Sex or Symbol to modern, context, while proper respect should be of 1982 signalled a wider interest and growing paid to its original shape.11 acceptance of the scenes depicted on it.3 So, in 1988, when E. Berger suggested it might be put CONSTRUCTION AND CONDITION on display in Basel, Herrmann agreed to it being slipped into the new arrangement following the Before examining the two figured scenes that reopening of the Antikenmuseum und Ludwig dominate the object and all discussions of it, it is Sammlung in May of that year.4 It was, however, necessary to say something about its construc- its transfer on loan to the Metropolitan Museum tion, subsidiary ornament and condition. This of Art in New York in 1991, urged by the Curator- section has benefitted immensely from the reports in-Charge of the Greek and Roman Department, of Marilyn Hockey and Susan La Niece, of the C. Picòn, and its subsequent exhibition in 1992,5 Department of Conservation and Scientific together with its first full publication in a dedi- Research at the British Museum, and from discus- cated article by J.R. Clarke, that caused it to attract sions with both on several occasions. The vessel real public and scholarly interest.6 By the late 1990s was originally constructed from five separate Clarke had in cluded it in his 1998 book, Looking at parts - decorated casing, inner plain liner, foot Lovemaking, and this was followed by a long article and two handles (now lost). The diameter of the from J. Pollini, by which time the vessel itself had liner, including its rim, is 11.0 cm, the diameter of left New York and was in a private collection in the casing ca 9.6-10.0 cm and the diameter of the Oxfordshire, that of Claude Hankes-Drielsma.7 foot-plate 4.8 cm; the height is now 11 cm. Scien- The vessel’s journey finally reached a different level tific analysis carried out by the British Museum of exposure in May 1999 when it was acquired for has revealed that it is made from 94.5 silver (± the British Museum and immediately placed on 1%), 3.8% copper (±0.4%), 0.8% gold (± 0.2%) and permanent public display.8 0.8% lead (± 0.2%), an alloy which is perfectly A spectacular example of Roman silver plate, consistent with ancient Roman silver plate and, it is one of those very rare antiquities that might indeed, Matthew Ponting of Liverpool University be said to challenge us directly, and at all levels, has suggested to me that it might have been across the centuries. Its scenes not only set prob- made from Republican coinage, which still had lems of interpretation and reception but also invite wide circulation in the 1st century AD.12 The gran- us to attempt to understand the sexual mores of ular nature of the silver, visible along the edges another, much older culture, while at the same of all the breaks in the walls of the outer casing time leading us to reassess our own personal atti- and the inner liner, as well as on the rim of the tude to sexual behaviour, conditioned as it is by casing, is symptomatic of inter-crystalline corro- our own time and society. The controversy con- sion formed within the metal itself over a long tinues for, despite successful special exhibitions in period of burial; the stratification of the chlorides London, York and Nottingham, its planned loan to on the liner similarly suggests a slow build up Bolton in 2008 was cancelled on the grounds that over a very lengthy period, while there are also Ɣthe subject matter had caused concern among var- small deposits of silver chloride on the outside of ious groups in Bolton, including the Chief Execu- the casing (despite the heavy cleaning in 1931- tive of the Councilƕ.9 Furthermore, it has recently 1932, see below). All the material indications, been suggested by two scholars, largely on the basis therefore, are that the three remaining elements of their reaction to the iconography and against of the vessel - decorated casing, plain inner liner the scientific and technical evidence, that the ves- and foot - are ancient. sel is really a forgery (see Appendix). It is, thus, The thin-walled casing is decorated with high a truly testing object. relief scenes raised by hammering from inside In this article, I wish to look at the cantharus (repoussé) (fig. 3), and given further definition and again, re-visiting some of the issues raised in my detail by careful chasing from outside - there is only 2006 book for the British Museum, adding new one apparent use of a graver and that is for the information and more detail, making corrections strings of the elaborate lyre (fig. 1).13 On the back of 156 98228_Babesch_90(2015).indd 156 31/08/15 13:20 Fig. 3. Silver cantharus, said to be from Betar (Palestine): inside of casing, side A. London, British Museum GR 1999,0426.1 (photo British Museum). the cantharus, a deep, deformed crack runs down some deformation around the cracks and three from the rim to the back of the head of the boy and areas of silver have been lost: these areas of dam- then divides, one branch following the line of his age are ca 3 cm apart. There is also a slight inden- back, the other crossing his neck and continuing to tation at one end of the largest crack: the blow his hand (fig. 2); there has been some minor loss of that caused it might have been the source of the metal, especially at the back of the boy’s neck. This damage. On the exterior of the liner the planish- damage seems to have originated in a blow just ing marks are clearly visible, except near the below the edge of the casing. A slighter blow to the moulding of the rim: the silversmith has not area behind the head of the youth on the front of taken the trouble to polish them out since this the cantharus has creased the background and surface would have been hidden once the can- pushed in part of the back of the head and neck of tharus was assembled. The interior surface of the the youth (fig. 1); there is a subsequent very slight liner seems never to have been cleaned in modern tear at the rim above. The surface of the casing has times and has an unbroken layer of fine silver chlo- been heavily cleaned down to bright silver, proba- ride corrosion. Beneath this corrosion, however, bly with the use of abrasive materials and chemi- Marilyn Hockey has been able to distinguish cals; it is pitted where the corrosion has been horizontal scratches that indicate either the stirring leached out by the chemical cleaning, but in many of wine, presumably for an admixture of spices areas there are still small remnants of the original or the like, or its scouring in antiquity.