Replica of Mt. Argaeus

1st-5th century CE · Sculpture

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Not receiving at present

Harvard Art Museums

Cambridge, United States

It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.

Checked: 2 days ago
In this state since: Sep 27, 2026
Source: The museum

On the map Museum page

About the sculpture

This statuette is a representation of Mt. Argaeus (modern Erciyas Dağı in central Turkey), the recipient of cult veneration in the city of Caesarea, in ancient Cappadoccia, which bordered the mountain. The mountain’s peaks and foothills are represented, along with an eagle seated at the summit. The eagle sits frontally on the central peak of the mountain, its wings down. Eyes, beak, and wings are modeled; feathers are indicated by incised lines. The eagle’s feet are not represented; its body merges into the central peak of the mountain, with a series of chevrons or a palmette-shaped decoration on the front of the body/peak (1). The mountain itself has a high central peak, which is flanked by two lower peaks. Between the central and lower peaks are incised curved bands with stippled dots on the interior. At the bottom, three foothills are represented by four incised semicircles; there is stippling within and above the semicircles to indicate topography. The back of the mountain is smooth and does not have any decoration.

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This cult image of Mt. Argaeus could have served as a votive or as part of the private shrine (lararium) of a house (2). Other mountains are known to have received veneration, such as Mt. Gerizim at Neapolis in Palestine. These mountains often appeared on the coinage of the cities, becoming the symbol of each city.

NOTES:

1. Similar bronze statuettes of the mountain with an eagle on top have been published by P. Weiss, “Argaios/Erciyas Dağı: Heiliger Berg Kappadokiens Monumente und Ikonographie,” Jahrbuch für Numismatik und Geldgeschichte 35 (1985): 21-48, esp. 27-29, nos. 1-3, pl. 8. Compare also a steelyard weight in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, inv. no. 1972.79, which is in the form of Mt. Argaeus with a bust of Helios on top; see M. True and C. Vermeule, “Ancient Art in Metal and Semiprecious Stone,” Boston Museum Bulletin 72.368 (1974): 117-35, esp. 126, no. 7.

2. Compare representations of the mountain on the coinage of Caesarea Mazaca that show a cult depiction of the mountain within the edifice of a temple (Severus Alexander, 224 CE; SNG Cop 289/Syd 544).

Lisa M. Anderson

Harvard Art Museums