This fragment of a terracotta relief created ca. 600 BC and currently displayed in the Greek and Roman section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art depicts an armed warrior geared for combat. According to the plaque, the relief depicts Achilles, most likely identified by his name written in the relief’s upper corner (“Fragment,” 2021). The hero is naked, save for the helmet with an open face, elongated cheek pieces, and a crest at the top, presumably made of horsehair. In the right hand, Achilles brandishes a spear, and in the left, he holds a large round shield with an adornment showing an angry anthropomorphic face with bared fangs (“Fragment,” 2021).
In the bottom left corner of the fragment, there is an image of the foot and part of the leg, presumably belonging to a vanquished foe. If the exhibit description is to be believed, the foe in question is most likely one of the Amazons slain by Achilles during the Trojan War (“Fragment,” 2021). The composition of the fragment is very simple and utterly dominated by Achilles’ warlike stature.
One important observation that comes to mind when analyzing this piece is the influences demonstrated in the creator’s artistic choices. The use of perspective is of particular interest in this regard. The relief portrays Achilles with the legs shown from the side, one before another, the torso demonstrated from the front, and the head shown from the side again (“Fragment,” 2021). This rigid stance, which is technically possible but not particularly lifelike or anatomically likely, is clearly reminiscent of Ancient Egyptian art that used the same conventions for depicting humans. Moreover, the leg of the fallen warrior to the left of Achilles is depicted as considerably smaller than that of the hero (“Fragment,” 2021).
Considering that, one may assume that the creator depicted Achilles as being larger than his enemies. The practice of changing the characters’ size based on their relative importance rather than physical reality was also a staple of Ancient Egyptian art. With this in mind, one may safely assume that the relief, while dealing with the distinctly Greek subject matter of the Trojan War, demonstrates a strong and fairly evident influence of Egyptian tradition.
However, the most thought-provoking thing about the piece is the fact that the hero depicted is not necessarily Achilles. Admittedly, the weapons and armor demonstrated in the relief are fitting for the heroes of the Trojan War. For example, when describing Menelaus gearing for war in Book III, Homer (n. d.) mentions him using a “helmet, well-wrought, with a crest of horsehair that nodded menacingly above it, and… a redoubtable spear.” This description fits the relief perfectly, as the warrior depicted has a finely-crafted helmet with a crest of hair and a spear for close combat (“Fragment,” 2021). However, if there is one defining piece of Achilles’s equipment as described in The Iliad, it is the hero’s shield.
In Book XVIII, Homer (n. d.) describes it as having a “gleaming circuit in three layers” and adorned with the depiction of earth, heaven, and populous cities in meticulous detail. The shield in the relief is nothing like that – the only adornment it has is the angry fanged head (“Fragment,” 2021). Given that, it is possible that Achilles’ name is a later addition to a relief originally depicting a different hero.
References
Fragment of a terracotta relief, ca. 600 BC. (2021). Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web.
Homer. (N.d.). The Iliad. Project Gutenberg. Web.