c. 300-200 BC. Hellenistic, Eastern Greek. An exceptional silver tiger’s head protome, probably once originally attached to a rhyton. The tiger is depicted with an open mouth, large, bared fangs, and wide eyes as if fixed upon its prey. Its tongue, pressed against the bottom of its mouth, creates the impression of roaring. The beast’s fur is faithfully textured, and the details of its stripes picked out in engraved detail. A rhyton is a roughly conical container from which fluids were intended to be drunk or to be poured, whether as part of a religious ritual or during feasting. These vessels are commonly decorated with animal protomes. The Hellenistic period, which runs from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the battle of Actium is 31 BC, was an era in which Greek-speaking peoples controlled much of the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia as far as present-day Afghanistan. During this time, Greeks encountered many fearsome beasts, including elephants, whom they used in war, and tigers, who they depicted in their art as a means of respecting these creatures’ deadly prowess as hunters. In order to confirm its authenticity, this piece has undergone X-Ray Fluorescence analysis by an independent Belgian Laboratory. The samples collected show the chemical composition to reflect the typical metal contents of the described period, whilst also showing no modern trace elements in the patina. Excellent condition. Provenance: Property of a professional London art expert; obtained from an old British collection formed before 2000. Size: L:70mm / W:83mm ; 180g