(The Mishnah (see above daf 42 (a)) taught that if a person found utensils and upon them were images representing a Drakon (type of snake), he must throw them into the Dead Sea.) What is the appearance of a Drakon? It has Tzitzin (scales and hairs) protruding from its neck joints.

This was also taught in a Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Azzai says, what is a Drakon? It has Tzitzin protruding from its neck; but if it does not, it is permitted. If one found a Drakon whose lower half had the appearance of a creeping creature, it is prohibited. If there was the image of a creeping creature with a Drakon on top of it, he may take the part of the creeping creature and discard the part of the Drakon.

(Shmuel): If a cup is a base for a Drakon, it is prohibited (as the main item is a prohibited item); if a Drakon is a base for a cup, it is permitted (as the main item is a permitted item).

(R. Ba citing Rav): Broken pieces of a Drakon are permitted (as the idol was already annulled); but if a person saw a whole Drakon and it broke, the pieces are prohibited.

Question: The broken pieces (of the first clause) also came from a once whole Drakon, so why are they permitted?

Answer (R. Chizkiyah citing Rav): This is the meaning - if he saw people bowing down to the Drakon and it then broke, the pieces are prohibited.

(Commenting on Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel's statement in the Mishnah (above daf 42-1 (b)), that only images on valuable utensils prohibit but not those on inferior utensils.) What is the case? If it is certain that they worship it, even if found on inferior utensils, it should be prohibited; if it is certain that they did not worship it, even if found on valuable utensils, it should be permitted? Rather, it is unknown whether they worshipped it or not.

(R. Krispa): Cups are considered to be inferior utensils, as R. Chiya bar Ba had a pan used to hold coals on which a Roman image was engraved. He asked R. Yochanan, who told him that since the pan is used to take coals from the fire and the coals also touch the outside of the pan, it is considered an inferior utensil and is permitted. Similarly, a cup is considered inferior, as the water overflows onto the images.