Relief with Vulcanus and Gaia

Found and bought in 1772 by Gavin Hamilton in Portus.
Date: first century BC or early Imperial period. W. 0.81, h. 0.38, ancient part: w. 0.39, h. 0.26.

A marble relief with to the left Vulcanus holding pliers, to the right a seated woman, and in between the upper part of a woman with olive branches, ears and a lotus flower on her head. Vulcanus and the woman to the right make the gesture favete linguis, "hold your tongue", so a ritual act is being performed. The woman in the middle is Gaia, probably giving the small Erichthonios to Athena, the woman to the right would be a daughter of Kekrops.

Inv. nr. 247. Lippold III,1, cat. nr. 548. Helbig 43. Arachne 21101. Photo: Bignamini 2003, fig. 3.