6th-5th century BC. A pair of bronze vase handles, stamnos, each comprising a round-section bow with beaded ribs, collars at the centre and at each end; terminals modelled as Medusa heads, presenting grotesque faces with gaping mouths baring sharp fangs, tongues sticking out, and stylised bearded snakes emerging from the hair; each mounted on a custom-made display stand. Cf. Reunion Des Musees Nationaux, Les Etrusques Et L'Europe, Paris, 1992, p. 42 and p.140, for comparable examples in other media; cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fragments of a cart or chariot, sockets with Medusa masks ca. 500–480 BC, accession number 29.131.3d1–d3; Wohl, B. L., A Campanian Gorgon Antefix, The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal 24 (1996), pp.13-20, fig. 1.683 grams total, 12.3cm including stand each (4 3/4"). Formerly with Donati Arte Classica, Lugano, Switzerland in 2013; formerly in the private collection of Athos Moretti, Bellinzona, Switzerland, in the 1960s; accompanied by a copy of the Donati Arte Classica invoice; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no. 10345-168740. In ancient mythology, Medusa was one of three monstrous winged female creatures who had venomous snakes living in her hair. The story of Medusa is elaborated by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphosis, which explains that Medusa was a kind woman until she had sex with Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Athena exacted punishment on Medusa, turning her into a monstrous creature with a glare that turned all who gazed into her eyes to stone. Medusa was eventually beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, who used her head as a weapon which, even after being hewn from Medusa's body, could turn his enemies to stone. Perseus later presented Medusa's head to the goddess Athena, which she in turn weaponised, placing it on her shield. In classical antiquity, representations of the head of Medusa appeared in the apotropaic device known as the Gorgoneion, designed to ward-off evil and bad luck. [2] [A video of this lot is available to view on TimeLine Auctions website.]