Dionysian Eros or Erotic Dionysus? Sources and Meanings of Hybridization in the Bacchus Mosaic at the Naples Museum

Nava SEVİLLA-SADEH

doi:https://doi.org/10.26658/jmr.1014566

Article Details

Dionysian Eros or Erotic Dionysus? Sources and Meanings of Hybridization in the Bacchus Mosaic at the Naples Museum

Authors:

Nava SEVİLLA-SADEH

Publisher:

Bursa Uludağ University

Main Topics:

History of ancient world

Journal:

Journal of Mosaic Research 2021 Issue 14, pp.289-300

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

11/2021

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2000488203

Frequency:

Monthly

eISSN:

2619-9165

pISSN:

1309-047X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26658/jmr.1014566

Abstract:

 

The splendid mosaic exhibited at the Archeological Museum in Naples presents two enigmatic hybrid images: a feline composed of a tiger and a lion, and a figure that combines the characteristics of both Dionysus and Eros.
This study seeks to decipher the hybridization of these two mighty gods of the Roman world, Dionysus and Eros, as presented in the Naples museum mosaic. The main assumption is that two features link these two gods: madness, and the illusion of merging with the Divine. The hybridization of the two gods would seem to strengthen the significance of both and of their role as gods of transcendence, as revealed through an examination of Classical literary and philosophical sources.

 

Napoli’deki Arkeoloji Müzesi’nde sergilenen muhteşem mozaik, iki esrarengiz melez görüntü sunmaktadır: Kaplan ve aslandan oluşan bir kedi ve hem Dionysos hem de Eros’un özelliklerini birleştiren bir figür. Bu çalışma, Napoli Müzesi mozaiğinde sunulduğu şekliyle Roma dünyasının bu iki güçlü tanrısı Dionysos ve Eros’un melezleşmesini çözmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Ana varsayım, bu iki tanrıyı birbirine bağlayan iki özelliğin olmasıdır: Delilik ve İlahi olan ile birleşme yanılsaması. Klasik edebi ve felsefi kaynakların incelenmesiyle ortaya konduğu üzere, iki tanrının melezleştirilmesi, her ikisinin de aşkınlık tanrıları olarak rollerinin önemini güçlendiriyor gibi görünmektedir.

Article Details

Dionysian Eros or Erotic Dionysus? Sources and Meanings of Hybridization in the Bacchus Mosaic at the Naples Museum

Authors: Nava SEVİLLA-SADEH

Publisher: Bursa Uludağ University

Main Topics: History of ancient world

Journal: Journal of Mosaic Research 2021 Issue 14, pp.289-300

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 11/2021

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2000488203

Frequency: Monthly

eISSN: 2619-9165

pISSN: 1309-047X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26658/jmr.1014566

Issues

Authors:

Nava SEVİLLA-SADEH

Publisher:

Bursa Uludağ University

Main Topics:

History of ancient world

Journal:

Journal of Mosaic Research 2021 Issue 14, pp.289-300

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

11/2021

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2000488203

Frequency:

Monthly

eISSN:

2619-9165

pISSN:

1309-047X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26658/jmr.1014566