Bacchus riding a tiger
Stone.
Roman Britain, 1st—2nd century.
Diameter 114 cm.
Inv. No. OA.290.London, British Museum

Bacchus riding a tiger.

Stone.
Roman Britain, 1st—2nd century.
Diameter 114 cm.
Inv. No. OA.290.

London, British Museum.

Origin:
Found in Leadenhall Street, London, during the construction of the East India Company building. Transferred to the museum in 1880.
Description:
Central roundel from mosaic pavement. The surviving medallion consists of two concentric bands of grey tiles within which is an undulating dark grey line or ribbon with its cusps thickened and shaded red. Within the medallion Bacchus is reclining on (or possibly astride) a tigress which walks towards the left. His body and head are turned towards the front facing the tigress which looks back towards him. His torso is outlined deep red and shaded with flesh tones of pale pink and white and rests on a cloak which is tied across his right shoulder; it is worked in blude and turquoise glass tesserae. In his left hand Bacchus holds a thyrsus upright with its terminal resting on his left thigh; it is reticulated in dark grey and turquoise tesserae, as is its pommel. His right arm rests acorss the shoulders of the tigress and in his right hand is a tilted white goblet outlined dark grey. On his head he wears a wreath of vine leaves shaded turquoise and red, tied with a dark grey headband; he wears buskins outlined dark grey and infilled with chequered dark grey and white tesserae intended, perhaps, to represent strips of woven leather. The tigress stands on a pale buff band, representing the ground, and is outlined in dark grey and shaded red and white; her left paw is held high as if she is striding.

Museum description (2021)

The Leadenhall Street Mosaic

This mosaic is of earlier date than most surviving mosaics from Roman-Britain. It features Bacchus, riding on a tiger rather than the more usual spotted leopard, referring to the myth that the god visited India.

Appropriately enough, the mosaic was discovered during building work on the premises of the East India Company. The design of the floor was recorded, and it was lifted in sections. During the nineteenth century, the owners allowed the fragments to be stored in the open air, and their condition deteriorated. Three sections, including the central roundel, were subsequently restored, and though the tesserae are in their correct positions according to the early engravings, the present smooth, polished surface represents Victorian conservation rather than the original Roman appearance. The surviving pieces were eventually transferred to The British Museum in 1880. Acquisition details unknown as of September 2003.

Museum description (2004)
Literature:
Mosaic / Catalogue of the Greek, Etruscan & Roman Paintings and Mosaics in the British Museum: Mosaics (32a).
Neal & Cosh 2009b / Roman Mosaics of Britain. South-East Britain (no. 370.56).
Roman Britain 1964 / Guide to the Antiquities of Roman Britain (p. 58, pl. 22.2).
Hobbs & Jackson 2010 / Roman Britain Life at the Edge of Empire (p. 111, fig. 86).
Credits:
(cc) 2021. Photo, text: The British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
© The Trustees of the British Museum.
Keywords: ελληνική μυθολογία mythologia graeca greek mythology mitologia greca griechische mythologie grecque διώνυσος dionysus dioniso dionysos ρωμαϊκή romana roman römische romaine βάκχος bacchus bacco μωσαϊκό mosaic mosaics mosaica mosaici mosaik mosaïque ρώμη rome roma romano rom römisches tirso thyrse thyrsus θύρσος thyrsos wreath kranz couronne corona topboot boot boots stivali endromide stiefel stiefeln bottes endromis endromidis endromides cothurnus ἐνδρομίς medallion medaillon medaglione médaillon tondo cantaro canthare cantarôsse kantharos cantharus κάνθαρος reclining reclinabile reclinabili reclinata liegend inclinable ανακλινόμενα floor pavement mosaico pavimentale bodenmosaik de sol wave-pattern wave-like ornament wavy stone pietra stein pierre riding a tiger cavalcando una tigre einen reiten reitend chevauchant un london leadenhall inv no oa 290