Vacche, tori, serpenti, e sfingi : il contesto di ritrovamento del tripode “di Metaponto” nell’Antikensammlung di Berlino

Abstract

Since 1865, the Antikensammlung of Berlin has held a remarkable archaic bronze tripod in its collections. The tripod
is also famous among non-specialists due to the animal figures depicted in its sculptural decoration. For a long time,
it was believed that the tripod had been discovered in Metapontο, but instead it was found in a tomb in the hinterland
of Basilicata. This can be demonstrated by comparing an old excavation report with 19th century archive files. The
archive documents are especially important as they allow us to formulate a new hypothesis about the sequence of
events preceeding the purchase of the tripod by Count James-Alexandre de Pourtalès-Gorgier. Information about the
circumstances of the discovery also leads us to consider the tripod in relation to a recurring phenomenon of hoarding.
This is strictly connected to the value attributed to similar objects, as parts of grave goods, in several cultures
between the Mediterranean and Central Europe.