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  1. Seuso Research Project
  2. The artefacts
  3. The Perfume Casket
The Perfume Casket
The Perfume Casket
Handmaids with mirror and casket
Handmaids with mirror  and casket
The lady undressing for bathing with her naked handmaids
The lady undressing for bathing with her naked handmaids
The lady beautifying herself
The lady beautifying herself
The lady undressing for bathing
The lady undressing for bathing
Gorgon’s head on the knob of the lid
Gorgon’s head on the knob of the lid
The casket with the perforated inside plate for holding pots
The casket with the perforated inside plate for holding pots
Handmaids with casket, washbasin and spindle-shaped perfume bottle
Handmaids with casket, washbasin and spindle-shaped perfume bottle

The Perfume Casket

Judging by the representations on the cylindrical, lidded silver casket, as well as its former content, the lady of the family could have used it during her daily bathing and beautification. The figurative frieze around the body of the casket is divided into two scenes separated by a curtain. Both present an episode of evening or morning washing. The shorter, erotic one shows the intimate world of a contemporary private bath. Naked handmaids, who assist with bathing, are depicted gently arm in arm waiting for the lady. To the left of the scene she is undressing for the bath with the help of a handmaid. The already dressed lady is sitting in the focus of the longer scene and her handmaids are taking to her the varied accessories for her beauty treatment, a mirror, a jewellery box, a chest of clothes and an object entirely similar to the perfume casket. The composition was inspired by the well-known scenes of Aphrodite and the three Graces bathing, in which the lady was clearly endowed with the charm and beauty of the goddesses. The casket lid is embossed with figures of Eros carrying garlands and masks, while the knob of the lid is a Gorgon’s head having protective power and amuletic function. The bathers unprotected in their nakedness were especially exposed to a curse owing to envy and hatred, as well as to the power of evil eye and malevolence. The decorative motifs of their bathing sets, which were to avert trouble, partly guaranteed protection against magical practices.

The interior of the casket has a plate with seven circular perforations, where silver pots containing perfume, make-up and ointment used to be kept.

Height: 32 cm
Diameter: 21 cm
Weight: 2.051 kilograms
Material: silver of 92–94% purity

The artefacts

The Seuso Platter

Seuso platter
Medallion of the Seuso platter

The Hippolytus ewer

Hippolytus ewer
The Hippolytus ewer’s handle decorated with an oak branch

The Hippolytus situlae

Representation of Phaedra on situla B of the Hippolytus set
Representation of Phaedra on situla A of the Hippolytus set

The Achilles Platter

Achilles platter
Achilles on the Island of Skyros

The Animal Ewer

Animal ewer
Male bust on the animal ewer

The Meleager Platter

Meleager platter
Medallion of the Meleager platter

The Amphora

The Amphora
Dionysus as a youth on the amphora

The Geometric Platter

Geometric platter
Medallion of the geometric platter

The Geometric ewers

Geometric ewer A
Geometric ewer B

Wash basin

The washbasin
Medallion of the washbasin and detail of the medallion

The Dionysiac Ewer

Dionysiac ewer
Dionysus with the panther on the side of the ewer

The Perfume Casket

The Perfume Casket
Handmaids with mirror  and casket

The Cauldron

The copper cauldron used for concealing the treasure
Rivets joining the sheets on the side of the cauldron

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