Fulcrum Attachment in the Form of a Mule's Head

This bronze appliqué in the form of a mule's head was once attached to the headrest (fulcrum) of a couch used for reclining during a banquet or drinking party. It wears a ribbon decorated with silver and copper inlay in its mane and a saddlecloth made from a panther pelt around its neck, folded back to reveal a lining decorated with meanders and spirals that are also inlaid in silver and copper. The eyes are inlaid with silver. Mules were associated with Dionysus, god of wine and revelry, and so helped create an atmosphere of conviviality appropriate to the dining space, in effect transforming the individual who reclined on the couch into a participant in a Dionysiac procession (thiasos).