Wine, Worship and Sacrifice @ the Sackler Gallery
With classical art not always well-represented in the District, the new exhibit at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Wine, Worship and Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani, is a great opportunity to see some pieces from the sixth century B.C.E. to the mid-first century B.C.E. Colchis, now the country of Georgia.
The exhibit highlights items that were found in eight graves; gold and silver jewelry and decorations, wine bowls and ladles, and glass vessels filled the graves found in ancient Vani, the principal sanctuary city in the Imereti region of western Colchis. It rose to prominence as an urban center in the sixth century B.C.E. and was destroyed by invaders around the mid-first century B.C.E. Archaeologists only have been excavating the area since 1947, and only one-third of the site has been explored so far.
Colchis is a region cloaked in myth — according to legend, Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Greece to Colchis, where the Golden Fleece was located, and which was on the periphery of the known world at the time. The region is also purportedly the birthplace of wine, with archaeological evidence attesting to early wine consumption, and many wine bowls, amphorae and ladles are on display here.
Wine, Worship and Sacrifice helps illuminate exchange in the ancient world — some of the jewelry and pottery show Greek and Persian influences, and some of the gorgeous blue glass vessels are believed to be imported from Iran.
Metalwork was the traditional Colchis art, and the show explains how jewelry-making evolved over time in the region — outside influences and the addition of semi-precious stones alter the appearance of the treasures — and it provides a narrative arc for the show.
While many of the items on display are beautiful pieces of jewelry, the most interesting works explain the everyday lives of the residents of Colchis. Tiny duck appliqués were sewn on garments to decorate them and amphorae painted with mythological scenes were used in symposia (ancient drinking parties). Perhaps the most fascinating piece in the exhibit is labeled as either the tip of a siege drill or a battering ram from the second century B.C.E., which was found buried beneath the floor of a Hellenistic temple. Archaeologists decided that the piece was used either to drill through the walls of enemy cities or to protect their own city — it’s an interesting juxtaposition with the pretty golden artifacts, and it draws attention to the warfare that plagued the ancient world.
While archaeologists still have much of Vani to explore, this show proves that they have already come a long way in unearthing the story behind the people of Colchis.
Wine, Worship and Sacrifice runs at the Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave., SW, through February 24. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day, except Dec. 25, and admission is free.
Shroud Decoration with Tubular Beads, Rosette/Volute Pendants Image Credit: Georgian National Museum