It’s not just mythical heroes that are depicted.
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Amphora
(Collection of the National Library of France (BnF))

This vase was made in the Mediterranean in the 6th century BC.

The hero Hercules fighting the three-headed giant is what catches your eye, but those are not all that is depicted.
 In fact, when viewed from the other side, you can see a four-horse carriage, a herd of cows, and birds flying in the sky, creating a somewhat pastoral atmosphere.

When trying to understand something, it’s important to try to look at it from various angles. If you do so, a variety of stories will come into view.

© DNP Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. 2021, with the courtesy of the Bibliotheque nationale de France.