Libation Collection

Apollo offering a libation to the raven, kylix, 5th century BC
Attic White Ground kylix of the early 5th century BC. Showing Apollo sitting on a stool performing a libation whilst holding a lyre. A raven looks

Alexander the Great on the eve of Gaugamela
Alexander the Great at the fire altar on the eve of the battle of Gaugamela. The scene, described by Plutarch followed a portentous eclipse of the moon

An ancient Greek woman holding a libations cup and spear
3478099 An ancient Greek woman holding a libations cup and spear; (add.info.: Woodcut print of an ancient Greek woman holding a libations cup and spear)

Libation, a pate-de-verre vase, c.1924 (glass)
991134 Libation, a pate-de-verre vase, c.1924 (glass) by Argy-Rousseau, Gabriel (1885-1953); 30.4 (height) cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Libation, a pate-de-verre vase)

Head of the Hindu God Bhairava from a Libation Vessel, Late 15th century. Creator: Unknown
Head of the Hindu God Bhairava from a Libation Vessel, Late 15th century

Ancient Egypt, Wall painting Tomb of Inherkhau, Thebes, Tomb of the Nobles, 20th dynasty
3476243 Ancient Egypt, Wall painting Tomb of Inherkhau, Thebes, Tomb of the Nobles, 20th dynasty, Priests pouring libations for Inherkhau (photo); (add.info.: Ancient Egypt)

Phiale (Shallow Bowl for Pouring Ritual Libations), 300-250 BCE. Creator: Unknown
Phiale (Shallow Bowl for Pouring Ritual Libations), 300-250 BCE

Plaque: Lion and Ankh / Libation Vessel, Egypt, New Kingdom
Plaque: Lion and Ankh/Libation Vessel, Egypt, New Kingdom, Dynasties 18-20 (about 1550 -1069 BCE)

Ancient Germanic deities. Statue of the sun god Sunna 1, moon god Mani 2, witches, magas mulieres or Haliurunna 3, goddess of fertility Ziwa or Siva 4. Divinita di Germani

Roman Lararium shrine and Lustrazio purification rite
Roman household gods or Lares in a Lararium shrine, showing two young men, genii of Augustus, in tunics and coturn sandals with drinking horns, found in Herculaneum 1

Assurnazirpal Offering a Libation (engraving)
671507 Assurnazirpal Offering a Libation (engraving) by Perrot, Georges (1832-1914) and Chipiez, Charles (1835-1901); Private Collection; (add.info.: Assurnazirpal Offering a Libation)

Plate 462. Pouring Libation on Ground, Drinking from Goblet, 1885 (collotype on paper)
3950412 Plate 462. Pouring Libation on Ground, Drinking from Goblet, 1885 (collotype on paper) by Muybridge, Eadweard (1830-1904); 18.4x41.1 cm; Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy

Didos Sacrifice to Juno, 1630 (oil on oak)
3930929 Didos Sacrifice to Juno, 1630 (oil on oak) by Lastman, Pieter (1583-1633); 73.8x106 cm; National Museum, Stockholm, Sweden; (add.info.: Dido, queen of Carthage and the widow of Acerbas)

Anathpindakas great act of charity 483 BC (litho)
1266130 Anathpindakas great act of charity 483 BC (litho) by Ruith, Horace van (1839-1923); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hutchinsons History of the Nations published circa 1920 s)

King Sulumeli pouring a libation with a god, detail of the god
899970 King Sulumeli pouring a libation with a god, detail of the god, 11th-9th century (limestone) by Syrian; Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, Ankara

A Libation of Condemned Wine on the Quays of Paris (engraving)
2772146 A Libation of Condemned Wine on the Quays of Paris (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Libation of Condemned Wine on the Quays of Paris)

Sacrificing to Heathen Deities, c. 1890 (engraving)
DGC437471 Sacrificing to Heathen Deities, c.1890 (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Attic red-figure cup depicting Dionysos bringing Hephaestus back to Mount Olympus, c
698898 Attic red-figure cup depicting Dionysos bringing Hephaestus back to Mount Olympus, c.480 BC (pottery) (b/w photo) by Douris, (c.500-460 BC); 12x31 cm; Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Apulian red-figure volute crater, detail of the neck depicting Oedipus and the Sphinx
ALG174669 Apulian red-figure volute crater, detail of the neck depicting Oedipus and the Sphinx (pottery) (see also 153772) by Darius Painter (4th century BC); height

King Salumeli making a libation, 11th-9th century BC (stone)
899841 King Salumeli making a libation, 11th-9th century BC (stone) by Syrian; Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, Ankara, Turkey; (add.info.: Le Roi Salumeli faisant une libation)

Autumn Vintage Festival, 1877. Creator: Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
Autumn Vintage Festival, 1877

FOUR ROMAN WINE VESSELS
Four types of Roman wine vessels. Date: ancient

QUEENS DRINKING HORN
The Queens College Drinking Horn. Date: circa 1850

Psammetichus and the Bronze Helmet, 1890. Creator: Unknown
Psammetichus and the Bronze Helmet, 1890. Psammetichus I (664-610) king of the 26th Dynasty of Egypt used his helmet for libation in the Temple of Hephaestus

Offering to the Dead, 1880. Artist: Antique
Offering to the Dead, 1880. The veneration of the dead, including ones ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. From Stories from the Greek Tragedies by the Rev. Alfred J

Bronze Situla with incised decoration showing warriors, Etruscan, Bologna, c6th century BC. A Situla is a bucket-shaped container, usually of metal or pottery and often richly decorated

Sumerian Libation Vase Hero Gilgamesh, Bulls and Birds from Warka, Uruk, South Iraq, c2000 BC. British Museum

Sumerian Libartion Vase from Uruk (Warka), Southern Iraq, c2900 BC. Uruk played a leading role in the early urbanization of Sumer in the mid 4th millennium BC. At its height c. 2900 BC

Roman Votive relief of Athlete from Republican Period, Rome, c2nd century BC. Capitoline Museum

Chinese bronze libation vessel, 12th century BC
Shang dynasty Chinese bronze Chueh libation vessel, from the Victoria and Albert Museums collections collection, 12th century BC

Mycenaean gold signet ring picturing a fertility rite, 13th century BC
Mycenaean gold signet ring from Tiryns, picturing a fertility rite. A lion headed genii hold libations in front of a goddess who holds a stemmed chalice

Two headed pagan Celtic figure, 5th century
Two headed pagan Celtic figure, with a libation hollow between the two heads, and really two separate figures. It is often compared to Spanish fiddle-idols

Minoan bulls head libation vessel from the royal palace at Knossos, from the Archaeological Museums collection of Heraclion on Crete

Detail of a Minoan sarcophagus from Crete
Detail of a Minoan sarcophagus from Ayia Triada on Crete. It depicts two priestesses pouring libations at an altar (note the double-axes) while a musician in female dress plays a seven-stringed lyre

Libation table in a Minoan palace, 21st-18th century BC
Libation table near the central court of a Minoan palace at Mallia on Crete, 21st-18th century BC

Limestone libation vase, late Uruk, Warka, Southern Iraq, 3300BC-3000BC
Limestone libation vase with two lions attacking young bulls, late Uruk, Warka, Southern Iraq, 3300BC-3000BC. From the British Museums collection

Wahibre Psamtik I, also known as Psammeticus or Psammetichus, 664-610 BC, King of the 26th Dynasty of Egypt. On the last day of a feast in Hephaestus temple the high priest brought out the golden

Two priestesses in ancient Greece make offerings to the dead in the form of a libation poured upon a flame on an altar. After a work by English artist John Flaxman

Egypt. Stele of Seti I. Beth-Shean. 1289-1278 B. C. Basalt
Egypt. Stele of Seti I. Beth-Shean. 1289-1278 B.C. Basalt. Commemorates the kings victory in the Military expedition into Canaan

Persian-Achaemenid art. Iran. Gold rhyton decorated with a f
Persian-Achaemenid art. Islamic Republic of Iran. Gold rhyton decorated with a fantastic leonine creature. 5th Century BC. Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York. United States

Christian Baptism in China. Date: circa 1930s

Ceramic plate. Decorated head matron. Greek imitation. 3rd c
Phiale or patera, libation bowl. Ceramic plate. Decorated head matron. Greek imitation. 3rd century BC. From Bari, Italy. Episcopal Museum. Vic. Catalonia. Spain

Italy. Pompeii. Temple of Vespasian (69-79 CE). Altar with a
Italy. Pompeii. Temple of Vespasian (69-79 CE) with an altar depicting a sacrificial scen. The sacrificer and his aide bring the sacrificial bull, while the priest, a veil over his head

Roman Art. Italy. Pompeii. Altar of Vespasian, (69-79 CE). T
Roman Art. Pompeii. Altar of Vespasian, Temple of Vespasian (69-79 CE). The relief shows a sacrificial scene: the sacrificer and his aide bring the sacrificial bull, while the priest

Ancient Art. Mediterranean area. Altar and goddess. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Denmark

Ancient Art. Mediterranean area. Altar. Relief depicting Medusa. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Denmark

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"Libation: A Ritual of Ancient Offerings and Sacred Pourings" In the ancient world, libation held a significant role in religious ceremonies and cultural practices. From Apollo offering a libation to the raven, to Alexander the Great preparing for battle on the eve of Gaugamela, these acts were deeply rooted in tradition. One can imagine the scene depicted on the Egyptian Stele of Seti I in Beth-Shean, where offerings were made with reverence and devotion. The Persian-Achaemenid art showcases a stunning gold rhyton adorned with intricate designs - an exquisite vessel used for pouring sacred liquids. The Apulian red-figure volute crater captures a solemn moment as Achilles sacrifices Trojan prisoners at Patroclus' funeral. This pottery piece serves as a poignant reminder of rituals performed to honor fallen heroes. The Phiale, a shallow bowl designed specifically for pouring ritual libations, exemplifies craftsmanship from 300-250 BCE. Its creator remains unknown but their skill is evident in this timeless artifact. Egypt's Lion and Ankh plaque depicts both power and spirituality through its symbolism. It represents not only strength but also life-giving forces that accompany libations poured into vessels during New Kingdom ceremonies. A Kylix by Douris transports us back to ancient Greece, showcasing youth near an altar engaged in their own libation ceremony. These scenes offer glimpses into daily life where such rituals played integral roles within society. Ancient Germanic deities too had their share of libations offered to them – expressions of respect and supplication towards these divine beings who influenced every aspect of life. Roman Lararium shrines served as focal points for family worship while Lustrazio purification rites involved cleansing through water or wine-based offerings. Such practices aimed at maintaining harmony between mortals and gods alike. Finally, we find ourselves captivated by close-ups of murals adorning palace walls like those found at the Palace of Minos in Knossos, Crete.