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Lot Essay
This broad sheet gold funerary wreath is decorated with multiple layers of ribbed laurel leaves flanking a large central raised boss with rays. Three similar smaller bosses appear at each end. The stamped terminal plates are each decorated with a sea creature in relief holding a dolphin in each hand, their fishtails ending in dog faced(?)-protomes. The delicate sheet gold nature of the piece and the stamped decoration, rather than the much more time-consuming and complicated granulation and wire work, typical of Etruscan jewellery, is typical of funerary ornaments rather than the sturdier jewellery of every day use.
For two very similar wreaths in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, see acc. nos. 95.15.251 and 95.15.250. For a wreath in the British Museum (inv. no. 1872,0604.812) with two semi-circular terminal plates stamped with a bearded sea god with serpent tail and holding two fish or dolphins in his hands, see M. Cristofani and M. Martelli, L'oro Degli Etruschi, Novara, 1983, pp. 65, fig. 13c, p. 217 and 310, no. 231.
For two very similar wreaths in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, see acc. nos. 95.15.251 and 95.15.250. For a wreath in the British Museum (inv. no. 1872,0604.812) with two semi-circular terminal plates stamped with a bearded sea god with serpent tail and holding two fish or dolphins in his hands, see M. Cristofani and M. Martelli, L'oro Degli Etruschi, Novara, 1983, pp. 65, fig. 13c, p. 217 and 310, no. 231.