Balsamarium (Incense Burner) in the Shape of a Bust of Bacchus

The bust of Bacchus rises from a spreading calyx of acanthus leaves which sits upon a cylindrical pedestal with flaring foot. The hinged lid that originally covered the top of the vessel is now missing; loops for its attachment remain at the back of the vessel's opening. The youthful god wears a feline pelt tied over his left shoulder with a square knot; the paws project in high relief. Hair on the pelt is rendered by fine vertical striations. Bacchus' own hair, rolled under in a bun at the nape of the neck, is arranged in broad grooves spreading from a central part over the forehead. A hairband passes across the forehead. Pairs of curving strands descend onto both shoulders; smaller single locks curl onto either cheek. A diadem of ivy, comprising three leaves alternating with a bunch of berries, overlies the hair. The eyes are inlaid with silver, and the lips are parted.