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ancient classic artifacts coins numismatic roman greek

                                 Lot: 7

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            [Image]              CRETE: Cydonia. Ca. 320–280 BC. AR stater.
    (i.e. Keywords, Catalog
           ID, etc.)             CRETE. Cydonia. Ca. 320–280 BC. AR stater (10.75 gm). Signed
                                 by the artist Neuantos. Head of Dictynna right, wearing
                                 multiple pendant earring, hair wreathed with grapes and vine
      Mail Bid Home Page         leaves; behind engraver’s signature ???????? ????? in tiny
                                 letters / ?????, the hero Cydon, nude, standing left,
                                 stringing bow. Le Rider pl. ix, 18 (this coin). Svoronos 3,
                                 pl. ix, 3 (same dies). Very rare. A few surface flaws
                                 resulting from overstriking. Very fine

                                 Ex Phaestus hoard, 1953 (IGCH 152).

                                 Dictynna (Lady of the Nets) was an epithet of Britomartis in
                                 her aspect as patroness of nets, shores, and ports.
                                 According to myth, King Minos became enamored of Britomartis
                                 and pursued her throughout Crete, until at last, to avoid
                                 his embraces, she threw herself off a mountain into the sea,
                                 where she fell into the nets of fishermen and was rescued. A
                                 famous Dictynnaeum or sanctuary of Dictynna stood atop Mt.
                                 Tityrus in the territory of Cydonia. The inscription on this
                                 obverse die, “Neuantos made [it],” is clearly the signature
                                 of an artist. No other signed works of Neuantos are known.

                                 Estimated Value: $ 3,750

 ... Lot was unsold.
 


From the Freeman & Sear Mail Bid Sale 13, Closed August 25th, 2006.

Re-used by permission of Freeman & Sear, www.freemanandsear.com.