Roman Blue Cut Glass Bead Necklace

Squat burnished pottery lamp with stub nozzle, high-relief scene of two lovers on a couch; maker's mark 'LMVNSVC' to the underside. 64 grams, 95 mm



From the collection of French archaeologist Suzanne Gozlan (1921-2022).

The lamp belongs to the Bailey type B group ii (Loeschke type IV), usually dated from Tiberian to Trajanic times. Erotic lamps were particularly popular before the Christianisation of the Roman Empire. Roman sexuality differed considerably from later Christian European attitudes. Roman religion promoted sexuality as one of the fundamental aspects of prosperity for the entire state; individuals could turn to private religious practice, or even magic, to improve their erotic life or health and reproductive capacity; moreover, prostitution in ancient Rome was legal, public and widespread. Artistic subjects that today we would define without hesitation as pornography, were present among the art collections of the most respectable and high status Roman families.

Comprising four mould made lamps, one with ring handle with two shallow grooves on upper part, central filling-hole, small air hole in the lower part; one with volute lug handle, flat shoulder with a rounded outer ridge, flat-bottomed discus, central filling-hole, V-shaped channel between discus and nozzle, air hole above club; the other two with ring handles and grooves on upper and lower parts, shoulder with shallow pronounced relief, filling hole with air hole in front of the nozzle. 140 grams total, 67-82 mm



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.

The lamps have connections with models of 1st-3rd centuries A.D., in particular with Bayley type A group i, Bussiere form D VII and D X 5.

Comprising a quantity of mixed beads, mainly oblate and cylindrical in form, including glass, modelled, faience and stone etc. 58.5 grams total, 1-14 mm



UK gallery, early 2000s.

The use of amber beads as amulets in the Roman world is well attested, even in Britain (series of bracelets have been found in late Roman graves at Cirencester and Colchester). The amber beads were associated with pierced coins, pierced dog’s teeth and a lunate pendant. Pliny said that amber was beneficial to infants ‘when attached to the body in the form of an amulet'.