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LOT 0679
Late Roman Bone Dice Gaming Piece
4TH-6TH CENTURY A.D.
5/8 in. (4.08 grams, 14 mm).
Cuboid with rounded edges and corners, ring-and-dot markings disposed 1:2, 3:4, 5:6; with old collector's identification tag '156'. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFound Wiltshire, UK.
From the important private collection of dice and gaming pieces of Colin Narbeth, London, UK, collection no.156.
See Beutler, F. et al., Der Adler Roms. Carnuntum und der Armee der Cäsaren, Bad-Deutsch Altenberg, 2017, item 724, for type.
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:
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Roman Bronze Genius Statuette
2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Modelled standing, wearing a loosely draped himation hanging from the right shoulder, the folds gathered at the left forearm raised to support a patera; mounted on a custom-made stand. 118 grams total, 96 mm including stand
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
A genius was a local spirit or supernatural helper whose favour could be requested with a libation or small offering. -
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Roman Black Glass Bead Necklace String
1st century A.D. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £39
Graduated restrung group of irregular-shaped beads. 12.26 grams, 84 cm long
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. -
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Roman Bronze Hand-Shaped Military Standard Finial
1st-3rd century A.D.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,222
Hollow-formed with fine detailing to the fingers and nails; with fixing points for a military standard (signum) used by each unit under a centurion, originally fixed with the palm facing forwards inside a wreath. 718 grams, 21 cm
Generally intact and good defined, except for the lower part.
Acquired in Europe before 2000. European private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12003-211851.
Roman military signa decorated by phalerae and surmounted by a right hand were used from the Late Consular Age. The hand (manus) symbolised the fides, i.e. the allegiance between the soldiers and the Res Publica. It is also possible that the hand belonged to a statue in which it was extended as a sign of silence, to allow the speaker to speak. However, the iconography of military hands, and also the resemblance with a bronze hand (military signum) preserved in the Vindonissa museum (Windisch), support the possibility that the object was part of a military standard.
