Roman Dining Couch and Footstool in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, July 2007

Couch and footstool with bone carvings and glass inlays
Roman, 1st-2nd century AD

Accession # 17.190.2076

These pieces of furniture have been reassembled from fragments, some of which may come from the imperial villa of Lucius Verus (co-emperor 161-169 AD), on the Via Cassia outside Rome. It is not certain that the square glass panels are original to the frame and stool, but the carved bone inlays are paralleled on other Roman couches. On the couch legs are friezes of huntsmen, horses, and hounds flanking Ganymede, the handsome Trojan youth who was abducted by Zeus in the guise of an eagle to serve as his wine steward. On the footstool are scenes of winged cupids and leopards, and on the sides of the bedframe, the striking lion protomes have eyes inlaid with glass.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.