Roman Blue Glass Flask with Fine Trailing

An untranslated reused tablet with a recessed panel with traces of more than 15 lines with the remains of letters written in cursive script, originally the panel was covered by a layer of wax, with a stylus the writer scratched the text into the soft wax and often also into the wooden ground, as such tablets were normally reused several times, traces of different texts can be found on the wooden surface, four lines of large inked text to verso, a record of a transaction in a formulaic legal language; either from a legal document comprising two (diptychon) or three (triptychon) panels; pierced three times for attachment. 20.6 grams 13 x 13 cm



From an important London collection since 1975. Accompanied by a collection of eight 1970s photographs of the the tablet.

The contract follows the standard Roman legal formulae.

Comprising: applicator with head finial; tag with nail cleaner; hair pin with balustered shank; cosmetic spoon. 14.6 grams total, 40-93 mm



Found City of London, UK. Acquired from mudlark Steve Brooker in the early 2000s. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985.

Including rim- and base-fragments with moulded or applied decorative detailing, some with inked inscriptions including: 'Col' for Colchester. 1.42 kg total, 3-11.4 cm



Found Colchester, UK. From the collection of a late East Anglian teacher and antiquarian who retired to the Isle of Wight in Hampshire, UK. He amassed a large collection of objects between the 1960s-1980s. Accompanied by a hand written information display card entitled 'Pottery from Colchester ...', and two other display cards, one typed one handwritten.