Loading, please wait...
LOT 0777
Historic Spartan Basalt Cut and Polished Dark Green Porphyry Fragment Group
2 3/4 - 12 in. (2.1 kg total, 7 - 30.5 cm).
Mined in Greece, four irregular fragments cut and polished on one side, probably recycled material mined in ancient Roman times. [4]
ProvenanceAcquired on the UK art market since the 1990s.
From the private collection of a Somerset gentleman.
Also known as Lapis Lacedaemonius and Porfido Verde Antico, a type of green porphyry quarried in Greece. Spartan basalt is a form of andesite or volcanic rock known today only from a single source in the village of Krokees on the Peloponnese in Greece. In addition, ancient sources mention a quarry of Lapis Lacedaemonius in Taygetus.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0777
Historic Spartan Basalt Cut and Polished Dark Green Porphyry Fragment Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £585
-
Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp
Cyprus, circa 2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
Round body with plain discus with pelletted border, label on the base '2nd c. AD M10'. 45.1 grams, 86 mm
Private collection, Oxfordshire, UK, by direct descent from the collection of Judge George Cyril Griffith-Williams (1893-1983), Supreme Court Judge of the Colony of Cyprus; items having been collected in the 1930s and 1940s in Cyprus during his tenure there. -
Roman Actor's Mask Head
1st century B.C.-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Modelled in the round with emphasised facial detailing and wearing a plaited wig. 21.6 grams, 20 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Roman Opaque White Glass Unguentarium
1st-4th century A.D.Estimate: £150 - 200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
Squat in profile with tall, trumpet-style neck and everted rim. 10.4 grams, 41 mm
From a specialist collection of glass, acquired from dealerships during the 1990s.