Ptolemaic mosaic of a dog and askos Hellenistic Steinuntersetzer

Ptolemaic mosaic of a dog and askos wine vessel from Hellenistic Egypt, dated 200-150 BC. Excavated from the grounds of the New Alexandria Library in 1993, this Ptolemaic mosaic from Hellenistic Egypt, Greco-Roman Museum of Alexandria, Egypt. While it is slightly damaged at the center with cracks and fragmentary along the sides, this mosaic depicts a realistic scene of a male dog with a gilded metal askos vessel, for containing water or wine, with looped handles lying nearby. The rich variety of colored tesserae pieces adds depth, lighting, and shading to the scene similar to Hellenistic Greek paintings of the time period. It could represent a household owner's pet, or perhaps it implies a domestic banquet had occurred and the askos has been emptied for the occasion.