Cup of the Ptolemies

Front (top) and back (bottom) of the cup.

The Cup of the Ptolemies (French: Coupe des Ptolémées), also known as the Cup of Saint Denis,[1] is an onyx cameo two-handled cup, or kantharos.[2][3] It is 8.4 cm high, and 12.5 cm across.

The cup, decorated with Dionysiac vignettes and emblems, was carved at some point in Classical Antiquity, probably in Alexandria. Eventually, it found its way into the treasury of the French kingdom, before it was donated to the abbey of St. Denis. During the Middle Ages, it was used as a Christian chalice, and lavish mounts were added, with Latin inscriptions. In 1804, the cup was stolen, and the mounts were lost, although the cup itself was recovered. It is now in the Cabinet des Médailles at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference frenchbook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Baedeker, Karl, ed. (1907). "Bibliothèque Nationale". Paris and its Environs. The University of Michigan. p. 205.
  3. ^ Middleton, John (1891). The Engraved Gems of Classical Times: With a Catalogue of the Gems in the Fitzwilliam Museum. CUP Archive. p. 62.