Adornment of a Hellenistic Maenad: A Gold Hairnet in Context

An ornate goldwork hairnet from the Hellenistic period that is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art has not been the primary subject of any published research prior. This paper intends to analyze the stylistic elements of the hairnet, and how these attributes reflect the many cultural changes occurring in the time that the jewellery piece was produced. The hairnet’s possible artistic links to the influence of the Ptolemaic dynasty as well as the growing public fascination with the mystery cult of Dionysus are explored. Developments in the domestic and public roles of women, including those within the religious sphere are of particular interest.