Medieval engraved basin from the Severn

The plate shows two views of a round bowl with the centre raised inwards. The central part is engraved with a scene showing a bearded man (Nisus) with two female figures, one (Scylla) with a pair of shears. Around the outside are six roundels depicting other scenes, and the engraved heads of the winds between each roundel. Each roundel has a Latin inscription describing the scene it encloses. The iconograhic content of the six roundels is of classical mythology, and all of the scenes are from Ovid's Metamorphoses. They include Jove and Ganymede, the gods feasting, the story of Persephone, and the story of Euyrdice. The figure of Triptolemus riding a wyvern and sewing grain appears to be a misreading of the story of Ceres/Demeter, whose car was drawn by dragons. Triptolemus was associated with her and brought agriculture to the human world. The scene on the central roundel, according to Franks, shows Scylla cutting off a lock of her father Nisus's hair. The central roundel is inscribed SCILLA METENS CRINEM MERCATVR CRIMINE.