T1.6 THE BIRTH OF ERICHTHONIUS
| Museum Collection | British Museum, London |
|---|---|
| Catalogue No. | London 1837,0609.54 |
| Beazley Archive No. | 206695 |
| Ware | Attic Red Figure |
| Shape | Hydria |
| Painter | Attributed to the Oinanthe Painter |
| Date | ca. 470 - 460 B.C. |
| Period | Late Archaic |
DESCRIPTION
Gaea (the Earth) hands her newborn son Erichthonius over to the foster-care of the goddess Athena. Gaia is depicted as a matronly woman partially risen from the earth, inseperable from her native element. Zeus, holding a lightning bolt and crowned with a wreath, stands behind her. On the right Athena drapes the infant in swaddling and Nike (Victory) with a sash.