Two Bronze Waterfowl Figureheads from Thonis-Heracleion

ABSTRACT

An intact bronze waterfowl figurehead, SCA1592, was found in the city of Thonis-Heracleion in 2014 and received only brief comments in an exhibition catalogue. A fragment of a similar piece, SCA1561, has not been previously published. This article contains a detailed analysis of both pieces and cites the available comparanda from ancient Egypt. It also addresses the religious and aesthetic aspects of these figureheads.

RESUMEN

En 2014 se encontró intacto en la ciudad de Thonis-Heracleion un mascarón de proa de bronce de un ave acuática, SCA1592, del que solo se realizaron breves comentarios en un catálogo de exhibición. Un fragmento de una pieza similar, SCA1561, no ha sido publicado anteriormente. Este artículo contiene un análisis detallado de ambas piezas y cita las comparaciones disponibles del antiguo Egipto. También aborda los aspectos religiosos y estéticos de estos mascarones de proa.

摘要

2014年在赫拉克利翁遗址发现了一个完整的青铜水禽头像SCA1592，但仅在一份展览图册中得到过简短的评介。另外，还有一件从未发表过的与之类似的作品碎片SCA1561。本文包含了对这两件作品的详细分析，并引用了可对比的古埃及同类作品。文中还讨论了这些头像的宗教和美学方面的含义和意境。

摘要

2014年在赫拉克利翁遺址發現了一個完整的青銅水禽頭像SCA1592，但僅在一份展覽圖冊中得到過簡短的評介。另外，還有一件從未發表過的與之類似的作品碎片SCA1561。本文包含了對這兩件作品的詳細分析，並引用了可對比的古埃及同類作品。文中還討論了這些頭像的宗教和美學方面的含義和意境。

KEYWORDS:

• Maritime archaeology
• Thonis-Heracleion
• ship parts
• shipwrecks
• Egyptian Late Period
• Ptolemaic Period

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• arqueología marítima
• Thonis-Heracleion
• partes de barco
• pecios
• Período Tardío Egipcio
• Periodo Ptolemaico

关键词:

• 海洋考古
• 赫拉克利翁
• 船舶零件
• 沉船
• 后期埃及
• 托勒密时期

關鍵詞:

• 海洋考古
• 赫拉克利翁
• 船舶零件
• 沉船
• 後期埃及
• 托勒密時期

الكلمات الدلالیة:

• علم الآثار البحرية
• ثونيس هيراكليون
• أجزاء السُفن
• طُام السُفن
• العصر المصري المتأخر
• لعصر البطلمي

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Franck Goddio, director of the Institut Européen d’Archéologie Sous-Marine (IEASM), for entrusting me the publication of this material. I am very indebted to Galina Belova and Sergei Ivanov from the Centre for Egyptological Studies of RAS for their advice concerning ancient Egyptian texts and bird decorations in Egyptian art. Sergei Belov was very kind to make the drawings for this article. I express my sincere gratitude to Sabine Laemmel and Michael Stephens for the proofreading. The underwater excavations of IEASM are funded by Hilti Foundation, Liechtenstein.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Permission Statement

IEASM holds a valid excavation permit from the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt (SCA) and the excavations are going under full control of the officers of the underwater department of SCA in Alexandria.