Late Roman Bronze Buckle-Plate with Combat Scene

CIRCA 5TH CENTURY A.D.

2 in. (19.1 grams, 49 mm).

Tongue-shaped in plan with knop finial and three pierced lugs to the reverse; raised rim enclosing a scene with advancing gladiator and a lion(?) preparing to attack.

Provenance

Ex London and Home Counties gentleman, R.W., 1970s.

This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Literature

Cf. Schulze-Dörrlamm, M., Byzantinische Gürtelschnallen und Gürtelbeschläge im Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum, Teil 2. Die Schnallen mit Scharnierbeschläg und Schnallen mit angegossenem Riemendurchzug des 7. bis 10. Jahrhunderts, Mainz, 2009, pp.118ff. type E38.

Footnotes

All E38 buckles probably originally had a kidney-shaped bow (T-shaped), a prong with a rectangular, undecorated shield, and a U-shaped hinge fitting with a finial depicting a man fighting a lion. This could be a rider stabbing the prone animal with his lance, or a gladiator with a raised shield killing a lion with a sword or lance. The reliefs are surrounded by a border of varying design. Depending on the width of the fitting, the number of rear pierced pegs varies between from two to three.

CONDITION

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