Large Roman Bronze Lion-Headed Iron Key

Penannular type with serpent-head ends, scale detailing. 25.4 grams, 74 mm



Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Comprising three lacquered porphyry slices of rectangular shape, cut on both faces and polished on one face; probably from recycled material mined in ancient Roman times between the 1st and 5th century A.D.; intended for use as inlay panels. 81 grams total, 5.8-12.2 cm



From Egypt. Ex Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's).

Mons Porphyrites (today Jabal Abu Dukhkhan) is the mountainous site of a group of ancient quarries in the Red Sea Hills of the inhospitable eastern desert in Egypt, a five day trip from the Nile during Roman times. They were discovered by Caius Cominus Leugas in 18 A.D., and during the Roman Empire the mines officially belonged to the emperor and were the only known source of the Imperial Porphyry, Mons Porphyrites. This dark purple stone was associated with royalty and used for prestigious sculpture and architecture. The location of the mines was lost some time in the 5th century, and rediscovered in the early 19th century. Excavations in the area have revealed the well-preserved quarries and the dwelling places of the quarry men, and also thousands of ostraca have been discovered containing messages that provide details of how the quarrying took place, and of how the highly skilled quarrymen ordered their food.

With portion of original matrix and five rows of tesserae in grey, black, cream and white. 213 grams, 79 mm



Acquired Tunisia, North Africa. From a pre World War II collection, thence by descent. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985.

In African mosaics, combinations of black and white and cream tessellated mosaics often form the borders of important mosaics, such as those of El Jem, representing the love between Satyrs and Bacchants, or the myth of Leda and the Swan.