Behind the temple, with his back to it, is a professional aulete in a long, ornately
decoratedchito ̄nand aphorbeia. By him are two women dancing with snakes in their
hands. The seated goddess wears a crown and holds a scepter with her left hand; a
small lion stands on her outstretched arm. The god wears a fillet entwined with two
snakes and holds a scepter. On the other side of the vase are more dancers, including a
youth, with snakes and pipes and atympanon.
What sense might fifth-century Athenians have made of this scene? Would they
have seen it as a representation of something with which they were familiar or would
they have understood it as an imaginary picture of what goes on in ecstatic cults
(perhaps confirming preconceptions or prejudices), perhaps derived from a theatrical
performance?
The scene is unique. Though every element of imagery in it appears on other
Attic red-figure vases, they never appear in this combination, and there is disagree-
ment amongst scholars as to who the deities are. The god has been variously called
Dionysus, Sabazios, Dionysus Hades, and Dionysus Sabazios. The goddess has
been called Ariadne, Semele, Kybele, and Demeter. In fact, Sabazios does not
appear at all on any Greek vases and, aside from here, no other deity is shown with
snakes in his hair. The lion standing on the arm of the goddess has parallels
with Hera and with nymphs associated with Dionysus, and in sculpture the lion is
associated with Kybele. Theliknonas a sacrificial basket instead of a kanoun is later
associated with Dionysus. Thetympanon, which first appears on red-figure vases not
long before this vase was made, is limited to Dionysiac scenes until the end of the
century. Earlier in the century snakes were common attributes of nymphs who
accompanied Dionysus. So there are Dionysiac associations, but the seated god has
none of the attributes of Dionysus (kantharos, ivy wreath,thyrsos), one of the most
common deities to appear on Attic red-figure vases. Had the vase-painter wanted us to
see him as Dionysus he would have given us some indication. The presence of the
professional musician is also puzzling, because he is usually associated with perform-
ances. In short, given the peculiarities of the scene we would be unwise to look at it
as a document defining aspects of Attic religious practices. We would probably be
closer to the mark if we saw it as a depiction of what the Attic painter thought ‘‘other
people’’ did.
A group of Attic red-figure vases, mostlystamnoi, from the middle of the fifth
century, which have been said to show mortal worship of Dionysus, should also be
considered in this context. Astamnosfrom an Etruscan tomb at Falerii Veteres in
central Italy illustrates well the basic elements of the scene (Figure 26.12). Two
women flank a table on which twostamnoistand on either side of a stack of cakes
or bread. Behind the table is a column to which a bearded mask with an ivy wreath is
attached. A cloak hangs down from the mask while ivy sprigs stick out above it. Both
women hold cups (skyphoi), and the one to the left dips into one of thestamnoiwith a
ladle. Thestamnoiwith this scene are often called ‘‘Lenaia vases,’’ implying that they
represent that Dionysiac festival, about which we know very little. In fact, there is no
sound evidence to support that association.
The mask-idol first appears on a group of black-figure vases, mostlyle ̄kythoifrom a
small group of workshops at the beginning of the fifth century, and may well
represent a rustic idol with which Athenians would have been familiar. Women
move about the idol, sometimes accompanied by satyrs and ithyphallic donkeys,
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