Description

The river god Acheloos appears in ancient mythology as a hybrid of a man and a bull. The bronze appliqué shows him as a mask with thick fur over his forehead and small bull ears and horns. The calyx of an arcanthus plant grows from the fur.

The pin hole under the mouth is from a secondary use. A fastening pin on the back shows that the head was originally riveted to a bronze statue. Armored statues of Roman emperors were often decorated with mask motifs on the breastplate.