Byzantine stone animal: double-headed

Product Description

Carved from two fragments of dark green stone mottled with light patches (steatite probably), these two objects represent animals with highly stylized and abstract shapes (also see : https://www.young-collectors.com/shop/scupture/byzantine-stone-animal-a-cock/). Their outlines are well-defined and the decorative details, not related to the anatomy, are simply marked with straight or curved lines, linear incisions and concentric circles.

The identification of the subject of this ornament is enigmatic: the circular body, supported by a small molded base, is surmounted by a tall, thin neck (pierced by a long hole, similar to the previous one). At the base of the neck are two small zoomorphic protomes that cannot be precisely identified: a bird with a crest, an animal with a long snout and pointed ears?

These ornaments are only rarely published, which makes their classification difficult: they would have been used to decorate clothing or buttons; the presence of the hole suggests that they might have been tiny vessels. It is worth noting that in Christian beliefs, the rooster symbolizes the Christ announcing the birth of the day and, therefore, the new faith.

Additional information