ca. 4th century B.C.
Gilded silver
H. 5.3 cm, Dia. 19.6 cm
This silver bowl has a life-sized plane tree leaf gilded into the center of its interior, giving the bowl a simple, refined mood. The leaf design is not right-left symmetrical, and is thus thought to trace an actual tree leaf. In Greek history, Socrates is said to have sat beneath a plane tree for his philosophy discussions, and thus is known as the wise man's tree. It is also the sacred tree of the river god Acherous. In Bactria, the Oxus River is known as the river's edge where Zoroaster received his revelation, and thus the river was deified and worshipped with the gods related to water sources. An image of the river god Marshas of Magnesia, Asia Minor dedicated to a temple has been found at Takht-I Sangin and this figure of Marshas coincides with that of Zoroaster. There was a large settlement of Magnesia peoples near Takht-I Sangin and it is thought that they transferred their customs to the worship of the river practiced in the Bactrian region. This vessel would have been used to carry something very important to the Magnesia people, and was possibly a vessel used in a ritual involving libations.
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