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Both sides of an irregularly shaped silver gray coin with relief decoration on each side.

Within the circle on the left is a man standing on a four-horse drawn vehicle facing right. He is wearing flowing clothing and holding a long stick in his right hand, in his left hand are the reins of the horses. Above the horses on the right is a woman with wings flying. She is also wearing flowing clothing; both of her hands are holding a wreath crowning one of the horse’s heads. Small dots surround the border. The circle on the right depicts a large bull with the head of a man with a long pointy beard facing right. Horns protrude from the top of the head and it’s legs are curled underneath the body. Above the head are Greek characters that spell G E L A S.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
1972.117
Title
Tetradrachm of Gela
Classification
Coins
Work Type
coin
Date
480/75 - 475/70 BCE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Europe, Gela (Sicily)
Period
Classical period, Early
Culture
Greek
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/195264

Location

Location
Level 3, Room 3400, Ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Art, Ancient Greece in Black and Orange
View this object's location on our interactive map

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Silver
Metal
AR
Technique
Struck
Dimensions
17.48 g
Die Axis
4
Denomination
tetradrachm
Inscriptions and Marks
  • inscription: reverse: GELAS

State, Edition, Standard Reference Number

Standard Reference Number
Jenkins 172

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Frederick M. Watkins
Accession Year
1972
Object Number
1972.117
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Obv.: Horse quadriga driven by male charioteer in long chiton; above small Nike flying l. crowning horses.
Rev.: Forepart of man-headed bull with long pointed beard and horns, swimming l/ (river god Gelas)

Publication History

  • The Frederick M. Watkins Collection, exh. cat., Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge, MA, 1973)

Exhibition History

  • The Frederick M. Watkins Collection, Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, 01/31/1973 - 03/14/1973
  • 32Q: 3400 Greek, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu