Lacunarium (Decorative Shield with Salamanders)

Object/Artifact

-

The Civilization of Llhuros

LACAUNARIUM (Decorative Shield with Salamanders) | 1966-71 | Photo by Ann Cady, 2024 | ©2026 Norman Daly Art: The photo depicts an ancient, circular, clay artifact that appears to be a damaged, bas-relief, characterized by a series of small, rectangular indentations running across the center, with two carved salamanders positioned symmetrically around the indentation, which has jagged missing sections on opposite sides, possibly indicative of wear or breakage over time.
LACAUNARIUM (Decorative Shield with Salamanders) | 1966-71 | Photo by Ann Cady, 2024 | ©2026 Norman Daly Art

The photo depicts an ancient, circular, clay artifact that appears to be a damaged, bas-relief, characterized by a series of small, rectangular indentations running across the center, with two carved salamanders positioned symmetrically around the indentation, which has jagged missing sections on opposite sides, possibly indicative of wear or breakage over time.

Name/Title

Lacunarium (Decorative Shield with Salamanders)

Entry/Object ID

COL.92

Description

Such shields, around 7-inches in diameter, are obviously too small and delicate to have been used in battles. Instead they were used as newel posts on large, elaborate funerary couches for temple priests. Bartholomew Black traces them to a workshop in Ronup (<em>The Priest in the Llhuroscian World</em>, p. 106). Eric Froehner argues for an Atraxos origin (<em>Kunst and Leben der Llhuros</em>, p. 153).

Category

Middle Period, Trolydos

Made/Created

Artist

Norman Daly

Date made

circa 1966 - 1971

Place

Academic Institution

Cornell University

City

Ithaca, New York

Continent

North America

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Region

Asia Minor

Culture/Tribe

Llhuros

Dimensions

Height

1-3/4 in

Diameter

7-1/2 in

Materials

Material

Bronze

Material Notes

Fictional medium as described by Norman Daly in the catalog and exhibition tags (1972-2019) [See General Notes below for more detail]

Acquisition

Notes

This object is a unique element of the "Civilization of Llhuros" collection given to the Cornell University Anthropology Collaboratory in 2026.

Exhibitions

Akron Art Institute (1972)
Cornell University | A.D. White Museum of Art (1972)
Indianapolis Art Museum (1972)
Istanbul Biennial, 16th | "The Seventh Continent" (2019)
Memorial Art Gallery | University of Rochester (1972)
Roberson Center for Art and Science, Binghamton, NY (1974)
Romische-Germanisches Museum | "Projekt '74" | Cologne Germany (1974)
SUNY Albany | Art Gallery (1973}
University of Pennsylvania Art Museum, Philadelphia (1974)