Feasting with Gods, Heroes, and Kings brings together nearly 60 elaborate vessels of animal shape from collection in the United States and Europe. While the songs, speeches, and prayers that enlivened ancient feasts are now largely lost to us, these vessels have survived, offering a glimpse into the rich symbolism and communal practices that found expression at these gatherings. Taking animal-shaped vessels as performative props in the multifaceted world of feasting, the exhibition no only introduces the social and ceremonial functions of these ritual occasions, but also highlights the essential and universal role played vy food and drink and by the highly imaginative con.