T92.2 PYGMAIOI BATTLING CRANES

Museum Collection: Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, Florence, Italy
Catalogue Number: Florence 4209
Beazley Archive Number: 300000
Ware: Attic Black Figure
Shape: Volute krater
Painter: Signed by Kleitias
Date: ca 570 - 560 BC
Period: High Archaic

SUMMARY

The Pygmaioi (Pygmies) ride into battle, mounted on goats and armed with slings, against the migrating cranes. The picture illustrates this short passage from Homer's Iliad:

"The clamour of cranes goes hight to the heavens, when the cranes escape the winter time and the rains unceasing and clamorously wing their way to streaming Okeanos, bringing the Pygmaioi men bloodshed and destruction: at daybreak they bring on the baleful battle against them." - Homer, Iliad 3.3

ARTICLESPygmaioi

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