10/10/2026
Greek Bronze Strigil, Classical to Hellenistic Period ca. 5th to 2nd Century BC
Cast and hammered bronze, a long, gracefully curved blade (the ligula) formed as a deep, U-sectioned channel that gathered oil and grime as it was drawn across the skin, its rounded tip turned slightly upward. The handle (the capulus) is a flat bronze strap that rises from the blade and folds back upon itself into an elongated open loop, through which the athlete slipped his fingers or the ring of his kit, its free end tapering to a pointed, leaf-shaped terminal that once seated against the back of the blade. The surface carries an even, smooth olive-green patina with scattered earthen deposits. It measures 9-3/4 inches (24.8 cm) in length and stands 8-1/2 inches (21.6 cm) high on its custom metal cradle and dark wood base. Strigils of this form are well represented in museum collections, cf. the Greek Classical bronze strigil, 5th–4th century BC, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (14.105.2), which the Met notes was used to scrape the skin clean after oiling, a procedure vase paintings show athletes following after exercise, https://howardnowes.com/products/greek-bronze-strigil?utm_source=outfy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook Art for Eternity
