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Ancient Art

VMFA’s collection of ancient art spans more than 5,000 years of human history, from Pre-Dynastic Egypt in the 4th millennium BC through the fall of the Byzantine Empire in AD 1453. Our primary collecting areas are ancient Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art but the collection also contains major works from the civilizations of Western Asia and Nubia.

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Thread Decorated Jar (Primary Title)
Thread Decorated Jar (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Roman Adaptation of Apollo Lykeios by Praxiteles (Primary Title)
Roman Adaptation of Apollo Lykeios by Pr...
Unknown (Artist)
Situla Handle (Primary Title)
Situla Handle (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Diadem (Primary Title)
Diadem (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Scarab (Primary Title)
Scarab (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Stater (Primary Title)
Stater (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Oinochoe (Pitcher) (Primary Title)
Oinochoe (Pitcher) (Primary Title)
Circle of the, Rose Painter (Artist)
Portrait Head (Primary Title)
Portrait Head (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Cybele Riding a Lion (Primary Title)
Cybele Riding a Lion (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Black-Figure Neck-Amphorae (Storage Vessels) (Primary Title)
Black-Figure Neck-Amphorae (Storage Vess...
Attributed to, Antimenes Painter, Greek, active ca. 530–510 BC (Artist)
Razor (Primary Title)
Razor (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Amulet of the God Bes (Primary Title)
Amulet of the God Bes (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Pottery Vessel (Primary Title)
Pottery Vessel (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Denarius (Primary Title)
Denarius (Primary Title)
Asian Mint of Octavian (Issuer)
Infandibulum (Lamp filler) (Primary Title)
Infandibulum (Lamp filler) (Primary Titl...
Unknown (Artist)
Black-Figured Amphora and Lid with the apotheosis of Herakles (Primary Title)
Black-Figured Amphora and Lid with the a...
attributed to, Antimenes Painter, Greek, active ca. 530–510 BC or his manner (Artist)
Kore (Primary Title)
Kore (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Denarius of L. Julius with Head of Roma (Primary Title)
Denarius of L. Julius with Head of Roma ...
L. Julius (Issuer)
Bucchero Beaker (Primary Title)
Bucchero Beaker (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Relief Pithos (Storage Container) (Primary Title)
Relief Pithos (Storage Container) (Prima...
Unknown (Artist)

Highlights

These objects represent the major collecting areas of the Department of Ancient Art, from ancient Egypt, the arts of Greece, Rome and the Byzantine Empire. They include works that illustrate the cross-cultural connections that criss-crossed the Mediterranean and come from religious, state, and domestic contexts. The materials range from a beautiful Egyptian head carved from granite, a prestigious hard stone, to wonderfully worked examples of Greek vases made from the modest material of clay.

Wall-Painting Fragment Depicting the Ene...
Unknown (Artist)
Wall-Painting Fragment Depicting the Enemies of Egypt (Primary Title)
Wall-Painting Fragment Depicting the Enemies of Egypt (Primary Title)
Lamp with Handle in the shape of a Griff...
Unknown (Artist)
Lamp with Handle in the shape of a Griffin's Head (Primary Title)
Lamp with Handle in the shape of a Griffin's Head (Primary Title)
Male Head (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Male Head (Primary Title)
Male Head (Primary Title)
Seated Man (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Seated Man (Primary Title)
Seated Man (Primary Title)
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ...
Unknown (Artist)
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ("Caligula") (Primary Title)
Red Figure Head Vase in the Form of a Bl...
Unknown (Artist)
Red Figure Head Vase in the Form of a Black African (Primary Title)
Red Figure Head Vase in the Form of a Black African (Primary Title)

Recently Acquired

Strigil Sarcophagus (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Strigil Sarcophagus (Primary Title)
Strigil Sarcophagus (Primary Title)
Ram's Head Amulet (Primary Title)
Unidentified Nubian Artist (Artist)
Ram's Head Amulet (Primary Title)
Ram's Head Amulet (Primary Title)
Attic Black-Figured Tyrrhenian Neck-Amph...
Attributed to, Goltyr Painter, Greek, active 6th century BC (Artist)
Attic Black-Figured Tyrrhenian Neck-Amphora (Primary Title)
Attic Black-Figured Tyrrhenian Neck-Amphora (Primary Title)
Portrait Head (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Portrait Head (Primary Title)
Portrait Head (Primary Title)
Gold Wreath (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Gold Wreath (Primary Title)
Gold Wreath (Primary Title)
Black-figure Band Lekythos (Primary Titl...
Formerly attributed to the, Elbows Out Painter, Greek, active ca. 550 – 530 BC (Artist)
Black-figure Band Lekythos (Primary Title)
Black-figure Band Lekythos (Primary Title)
Ibex-Headed Bracelet (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Ibex-Headed Bracelet (Primary Title)
Ibex-Headed Bracelet (Primary Title)

Mythology

Myths – are stories people tell to explain the world around them, from natural occurrences to the activities of the gods, the structures of their society and norms of behavior. There could be countless versions of a myth, each of which is equally true. In ancient Mediterranean cultures, myths were the primary means by which poets and artists worked out their most profound thoughts; in doing so, they laid the foundation for ancient religion, literature, figurative art, philosophy, and science.

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Statuette of Bastet (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Statuette of Bastet (Primary Title)
Osiris (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Osiris (Primary Title)
Red-Figure Hydria (Water Jug) (Primary T...
attributed to, Nausikaa Painter, Greek, active ca. 475 – ca. 450 BC (Artist)
Red-Figure Hydria (Water Jug) (Primary Title)
Bust of Serapis (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Bust of Serapis (Primary Title)
Aphrodite and Eros (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Aphrodite and Eros (Primary Title)
Votive Offering: Ulysses Bound to the Ma...
Unknown (Artist)
Votive Offering: Ulysses Bound to the Mast of his Ship (Primary Title)

Myths – are stories people tell to explain the world around them, from natural occurrences to the activities of the gods, the structures of their society and norms of behavior. There could be countless versions of a myth, each of which is equally true. In ancient Mediterranean cultures, myths were the primary means by which poets and artists worked out their most profound thoughts; in doing so, they laid the foundation for ancient religion, literature, figurative art, philosophy, and science.

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Videos

Tjeby’s CAT Scan
0:18

As part of its scientific investigation into its collection, in 2013 VMFA worked with the private medical imaging company HCA and Dr. Jonathan Elias of the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium to make a 3D CT-scan of Tjeby, the museum’s First Intermediate Period mummy. This led to new insights into the life and times of Tjeby, who lived some 4,000 years ago.

Tjeby’s CAT Scan
0:18