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The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - Druzhina - 11-22-2014
Illustrations of The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, 898 or 900AD
An ivory casket in the Palazzo Venezia, Rome.
This casket has had an interesting attribution history. The casket had been attributed to Armenia based on the strangeness of the lettering of part of the inscription. Later this was found to be due to repair of the casket, probably in the 17th century.
Dating and attribution:
10th Century Armenian - J Strzygowski, Byzantinische Zeitscrift, x, 1901, pp 728-30.
10th Century Armenian - A. Venturi, Storia dell'arte italiana, II, Milan, 1902.
10th to 11th Century Armenian - Goldschmidt and Weitzmann, Die byzantinischen Elfenbeinskulpturen des X.-XIII. Jahrhunderts, 2 vols., Berlin, 1930-34. 1, no. 123.
Sicilian or south Italian 2nd half of the 12th Century - E. Robinson, "The Rome Casket," in Studies in Memory of David Talbot Rice, ed. G. Robertson and G. Henderson, Edinburgh, 1975, 11-15.
886AD Byzantine - A. Guillou, "Deux ivoires constantinopolitains datés du IXe et siècle," in Byzance et les Slaves, Mélanges Ivan Dujčev. ed. S. Dufrenne, Paris n.d. [1979], 207-09.
898 or 900AD Byzantine - A Cutler and N Oikonomides, An Imperial Byzantine Casket and Its fate at a Humanist's Hands, The Art Bulletin, Vol. 70, No. 1 (Mar., 1988), pp. 77-87
Historians who have relied on attributions include:
Drawings of "Armenian" infantry on the Rome or David Casket from Byzantine Armies 886-1118 1979 by Ian Heath and Angus McBride.
Armenian infantry from Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 1980 by Ian Heath, based on the Rome or David Casket and its attribution as Armenian.
Drawings of infantry on the Rome or David Casket from The military technology of classical Islam 1982 by D Nicolle
608A to 608C. Ivory box, A - "Philistines", B - "Goliath", C - "Goliath", The Rome Casket, late 12th century AD, Sicilian or south Italian, Palazzo di Venezia Museum, Rome.
Are there any studies of this casket later than Cutler and Oikonomides 1988?
Does anyone have larger images?
MIRROR SITE:
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, 898 or 900AD
Druzhina
9th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - Druzhina - 11-25-2014
I have found a photo of the Front of the Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, 898 or 900AD
Druzhina
9th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - emilio - 11-28-2014
Hi Druzhina,
more detailed photos of Armenian soldiers from the "Ivory casket" (Palazzo Venezia Museum, Rome)
arrivederci,
emilio
[attachment=11197]david3.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=11198]david4.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=11199]david5.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=11200]david10.jpg[/attachment]
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - Nathan Ross - 11-28-2014
Quote:more detailed photos of Armenian soldiers]
How funny - I've often seen drawings of that top picture cited as evidence of 'soldiers saluting', but it's clear from the lower images that they're actually being struck with wonder and/or despair as David kills Goliath!
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - Druzhina - 11-29-2014
Quote:more detailed photos of Armenian soldiers]Thanks very much emilio. Did you take the photos or who should I credit? I would be interested in any others you have of the casket.
I don't think they are Armenians.
Quote:How funny - I've often seen drawings of that top picture cited as evidence of 'soldiers saluting', but it's clear from the lower images that they're actually being struck with wonder and/or despair as David kills Goliath!
Supposedly 2 soldiers saluting a 3rd, but the 3rd is behind them! This is what can happen if the only source is an isolated drawing.
Byzantine Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - emilio - 11-29-2014
Quote: ...but it's clear from the lower images that they're actually being struck with wonder and/or despair as David kills Goliath!
Hi Nathan,
I agree with you.
Below, the scene of the "Death of Goliath" : definitely not a "military salute" ! :wink:
arrivederci,
Emilio
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - emilio - 11-29-2014
Quote: ...I don't think they are Armenians.
Hi Druzinha,
I agree with you.
The photos are mine but you can use them, if you want.
arrivederci,
Emilio
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - Flavivs Aetivs - 11-29-2014
I think they're South Italian Romans, c.a. 9th-10th Century, when the Romans were still in South Italy and Sicily.
The Rome or David Casket, Byzantine, late 9thC - Druzhina - 11-30-2014
Quote:Much appreciated Emilio.Druzhina post=362045 Wrote:...I don't think they are Armenians.
Hi Druzinha,
I agree with you.
The photos are mine but you can use them, if you want.
arrivederci,
Emilio
I wonder if the shield of the soldier behind 'David receiving the show bread' originally had a face, as david7.jpg shows the eyes and mouth are rough holes poked through the ivory. The shield at David's feet has only light marks that may be eyes, nose and mouth.
The fallen helmet of Goliath in his death scene is not the same as that in the David vs Goliath scene. I have noticed that some medieval artists aren't concerned with 'continuity' between scenes of the same story.
Druzhina
9th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers