The statuette of Dionysos is preserved in good condition. Its preserved height is approximately 49 cm. Just the arms and the right leg are missing. The God stands wears the Thracian endromides (soft boots), a short chitoniskos and a panther skin belted in his waist over it. He also wears a goatskin as a cape, that covers his head too. The forelegs of the goat are wrapped around his arms. He can perhaps be identified as Dionysos Melanaigis, which means "he who wears the skin of a black goat" (melas=black, aigis=goatskin). His cult was introduced in Attica from Boeotia according to traveller Pausanias (II.35.1).
Caption Marble statuette of the god Dionysos who wears Thracian shoes and skin from panther and goat
Mythic people Dionysus (God)
Type Statue
Origin Metamorfosi (Koukouvaones), Attica
Current position The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Index number 59.11.2
Dating early 3rd c. BC (Hellenistic Period)
Notes
Marble statuette of Dionysos | Early Hellenistic | The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)
Related
Myths