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HOME :
Classical Antiquities :
Greco-Roman Art : Greco-Roman Silver Pin in the Form of a Dolphin
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Greco-Roman Silver Pin in the Form of a Dolphin - X.0644
Origin: Mediterranean
Circa: 3
rd
Century BC
to 2
nd
Century AD
Dimensions:
1.125" (2.9cm) high
x 1.875" (4.8cm) wide
x .625" (1.6cm) depth
Collection: Classical Antiquities
Medium: Silver
$3,000.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
The name "dolphin" comes from the Greek word
delphys, meaning womb. In ancient Greece, the
term applied to all dolphins, as they made no
distiction between different species. In fact, one
species of fish (Coryphaena hippurus, now
known as the dolphin fish, the mahi-mahi, or
the dorado, was also called a dolphin by the
Greeks, further adding to the confusion. In
ancient times, the common dolphin was
considered the most pure representative of the
dolphin family, appearing on cups, coins, and
friezes. Only relatively recently has the species
been recognised as individual rather than an all-
purpose "dolphin" classification. There have been
thousands of years of confusion over what does
and does not constitute a dolphin, and over what
the different species of dolphin are.
- (X.0644)
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