effervescentaardvark:The Lycurgus Cup (Late Roman Empire, AD300s in the British Museum)This &lsquo
effervescentaardvark: The Lycurgus Cup (Late Roman Empire, AD300s in the British Museum)This ‘glass cage cup’ is decorated with scenes from the myth of Lycurgus, a King of Thrace. Lycurgus attacked Dionysus - the Greek God of wine - and his followers and Ambrosia the Nymph. This was a bad idea… Ambrosia prayed to Mother Earth for help. Mother Earth changed Ambrosia into a vine so that she could wrap around Lycurgus, ensnaring him.The cup shows Lycurgus trapped in the vines while Dionysus, Pan and a Satyr torment him.The cup is made of dichroic glasswhich chagnes colour (from red to green) when held to the light. The glass contains tiny amounts of colloidal gold and silver which give it this unusual property.More info here. -- source link