A FINE ETRUSCAN CORNELIAN SCARABOID WITH HERAKLES AND THE STYMPHALIAN BIRDS, the underside of the scarab engraved with a scene from the Labours of Herakles, showing the naked hero wearing the lion skin over his head and hanging down his back, crouching down to take aim with his bow and arrow at three of the Stymphalian birds which rise up in flight, ground line indicated, inscribed in the field with the two Greek letters "**", with rope pattern border, the obverse with scarab's wings and thorax incised, pierced, circa 4th Century B.C.

A FINE ETRUSCAN CORNELIAN SCARABOID WITH HERAKLES AND THE STYMPHALIAN BIRDS, the underside of the scarab engraved with a scene from the Labours of Herakles, showing the naked hero wearing the lion skin over his head and hanging down his back, crouching down to take aim with his bow and arrow at three of the Stymphalian birds which rise up in flight, ground line indicated, inscribed in the field with the two Greek letters "**", with rope pattern border, the obverse with scarab's wings and thorax incised, pierced, circa 4th Century B.C.

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Lot Essay

The woods and marshes around Lake Stymphalus in Arcadia were home to monstrous birds which reputedly fed on human flesh. Herakles was sent by Eurystheus to frighten them from their covert with cymbals or a rattle, thus being able to shoot at some while frightening the others away. Cf. P. Zazoff, Etruskische Skarabäen, Mainz, 1968, p. 135, Tafel 52, no. 278 for an almost identical scene; and G. M. A. Richter, Engraved Gems of the Romans, London, 1971, p. 60, no. 272

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