Roman Blue Glass Flask with Fine Trailing

Cuboid with ring-and-dot markings disposed 1:6, 2:5, 3:4. 1.78 grams, 12 mm



Found UK. From the important private collection of dice and gaming pieces of Colin Narbeth, London, UK, collection no.27(A).

Depicted as a bearded man, seated and naked apart from a hood or cap on his head, with rope binding the hands together and extending around the neck and ankles; pierced vertically at the shoulders; probably a sliding mount for a thong or cord; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 55 grams total, 79 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.

Statuettes of foreign ‘barbarian’ prisoners of this type have been found along the Danube. Their spread coincides with the Marcomannic wars of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Swabian knot in this warrior’s hair has parallels with the warrior depicted on the contemporary Sarcophagus of Portonaccio, which represents a battle between Romans and Germanic Gauls.

With wide lozenge-section arms and a ribbed suspension loop. 2.31 grams, 36 mm



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