Silver 'quasi-phiale' from the Lydian Treasure

Accession Number: 1.32.96
Collection: Uşak, Archaeological Museum

This deep quasi-phiale was found in the Ikiztepe Tumulus; it is notable for the detailed, finely engraved heads which run around the edge of the bowl, reminiscent of the rounded, tear-shaped lobes on other phialai, though they here serve a purely decorative purpose (the tear-shaped lobes usually keep the vessel balanced, acting as "feet"). Extremely interesting are the loose bronze pellets contained in each head, which would cause the whole vessel to emit a rattling sound when tilted (see the Sardis Exhibition webpage for a full description of this fascinating object).

I. Özgen & J. Öztürk, Heritage Recovered: The Lydian Treasure (1996), p.90, no. 36.