Yesterday I took students from my myth class to work with the Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (LIMC), a wonderful, bedeviling, and at this point old-fashioned reference work. It is also indispensable because nothing comes near to its breadth and depth (why isn’t it online).
I encouraged students to look up something they were interested in (hopefully, something pertaining to a research project; at the least, something that brought them joy). One student found a phallos rhyton:
One of the things I love about teaching is that I am always learning new things from students. I have been teaching classical subjects for many years, and I honestly did not know anything about penis rhytons (drinking vessels).
Here’s the description, in German (the LIMC written entries are in the author’s preferred language, including English, German, French and Italian).
Here are some others from online (Archaeological Museum, Pella):
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Art Institute, Chicago, one from ancient Peru:
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Second from the bottom-is that Classical? Or Pre-Columbian Latin American?
Probably should have noted, precolumbian Peruvian!
Awesome. Glad I wasn’t crazy! More proof that Atlanteans/Ancient Aliens/Pre-Columbina European/African visitors really liked penis cups!
Also, the first one-is that one classical? It reminds me of some East Asian art.