The journey to the beyond through the sea: a “Scylla’s ascos” in the MAN

In this paper we present an ascus made around 300 BC in the Apulian city of Canosa. This vase belongs to the group of so-called ‘Scylla ascos’. The upper part of the ascos is decorated with the plastic figure of this sea monster, described in the Odyssey, which devoured sailors trying to avoid the whirlpool of Charybdis. The iconographic programme of these vessels alludes to the journey to the afterlife through evil; for in the Surithalic world Scylla is a daimonfunerario who leads the souls of the deceased to the Isles of the Blessed.

Collection: Texts

Project: 10. Churches and religions in Europe.

Chronology: -

Scope: Secondary Education

Link: http://www.man.es/man/dam/jcr:f998069b-50bd-4600-8e2a-4daeecd143e1/man-bol-1997-cabrera-bonet.pdf

Resource type: pdf

Format: Texts

Owner: Arqueological National Museum of Spain (MAN) (Modernalia)

Abstract: In this paper we present an ascus made around 300 BC in the Apulian city of Canosa. This vase belongs to the group of so-called 'Scylla ascos'. The upper part of the ascos is decorated with the plastic figure of this sea monster, described in the Odyssey, which devoured sailors trying to avoid the whirlpool of Charybdis. The iconographic programme of these vessels alludes to the journey to the afterlife through evil; for in the Surithalic world Scylla is a daimonfunerario who leads the souls of the deceased to the Isles of the Blessed.