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In Greek mythology, a gorgeous young nymph
named Daphne was fleeing from the advances of
the god Apollo. Rather than risk sacrifice her
virtue, she prayed to her father Peneus, a river
god, for protection. Peneus responded by
transforming Daphne into a laurel tree. Apollo,
dismayed at the loss of his love, comforted
himself by picking off some branches from the
tree and forming a wreath to remind him of
Daphne’s beauty. Wreaths, specifically from the
laurel tree, were subsequently used to crown
champions who excelled in the Ancient
Olympiads.
However, a delicate gold wreath like this
stunning example was far too luxurious to be
given away as a prize. In fact, only the wealthiest
and most powerful members of society, could
only afford gold all but excluding victorious
athletes. While scholars are fairly certain such
gold wreaths were strictly the domain of the
aristocracy, they continue to debate their specific
use. Due to their fragile nature, some argue that
they were intended for funerary purposes only.
Others believe that they were worn only during
symposia, a sort of ancient Greek drinking
banquet immortalized by Plato. Still another
theory suggests that they were worn by the high
priests of Dionysus during great feasts honoring
the god.
Although their specific purpose may be unclear,
it can be extrapolated that their precious and
delicate nature precluded that they only be used
for special occasions, be it a religious ceremony
or a private feast. The goldsmith who crafted
this wreath had a keen eye for observing nature,
enabling us to identify the branches as coming
from an oak tree, the least common of all the
trees imitated in such wreaths (olive or bay
branches occurring much more frequently). The
oak wreath might possibly be connected with the
cult of Zeus of Dodona. This wreath is composed
of leaves and acorn bundles. The leaves are
directly attached to the gold tube branches with
small rectangular rivets while the acorns are
secured to the leaves with thin twisted wires.
Today, this gorgeous gold oak wreath is a
reminder of the glories of Ancient Greece, much
like Apollo’s laurel wreath was a memorial to his
lost love Daphne.
- (X.0084)
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