Roman Bone Gaming Dice

Group of five iron clout-nails permanently mounted in a wooden display case with sloping sides and sliding glazed lid; with information panel 'Iron Nails / From / Roman Legionary Fortress / at / Inchtuthil, Perthshire, Scotland / A.D.83-87'; supplied with a printout on the subject of the Inchtuthil fortress. 713 grams total, 36 x 15.8 cm



From excavations started by Richmond in Perthshire, Scotland, from the 1950s, and discovered in the summer of 1960. Selected and boxed by David Colville & Sons by 1963. Property of a Norwich, Norfolk, UK, gentleman.

The fortress at Inchtuthil was a fortified headquarters and forward supply depot for the forces led by the Roman governor, Gnaeus Julius Agricola, when he undertook a lengthy campaign against the Caledonian tribes in the north of Britain. The campaign is mentioned in the biographical work written by his son-in-law, the historian Tacitus, which has been studied in order to understand the Roman plan for the subjugation of the island. The troops chosen for the campaign were drawn from the 20th Legion (Legio XX Valeria Victrix). While the construction of Inchtuthil and other strongholds took place, the troops lived in temporary encampments which were also fortified and formed a chain of defensive sites from which domination of the surrounding territory could be achieved. Subsequently once the site was abandoned late in the 1st century A.D., (around 86 A.D.) no further building took place there or in the area. Excavation in the 20th century by Sir Ian Richmond (begun in 1952) revealed a pristine site with its complete plan recoverable - unique in the Roman Empire. The defences were a broad ditch and turf wall with stone facing, with watchtowers and gatehouses. The site was thought to have been abandoned due to relocation of troops to counter an invasion from eastern Europe into the province of Dacia, although this is no longer certain. A huge quantity of iron nails (more than 875,000) was recovered from a pit in the fort as well as other ironware; the goods had been buried in order not to let them fall into the hands of the Caledonians. The excavated nails and other items were sorted and sold in small parcels, which was completed by 1963.The nails range in size from small nails between thirty-eight and seventy millimetres long, up to the massive spikes three hundred and seventy-two millimetres long. These kind of long nails were also used for crucifixions.

With dimpled base, flared neck and carinated flange below the mouth, rounded rim. 102 grams, 12.9 cm



From an important London collection of glass, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The vessel's shape is a simplified version of a cup decorated with a zigzag line. This is characteristic of Palestinian workshops. Two similar vessels, similar to this one, have been found in Palestine: one in Beit Fajjar, dating to the late 3rd-4th century CE, the other in an unidentified location.

Mould-made, the round handle absent, deep body, broad outward-sloping shoulder with grapes and vine decorations, separated from concave discus by two thin circular ridges with a groove between, central filling-hole, short round-tipped nozzle with two volutes on flat space between the discus edge and wick-hole, base marked by three circular grooves. 58 grams, 94 mm



From the collection of Mr W.A. Stewart, Director of School of Arts and Crafts, Cairo, 1919-1929. Acquired Christie's, London, Antiquities, Works of Art and Important Renaissance Bronzes, Plaquettes and Limoges Enamels, 8 July 1981, no.126 (part). From a private Wiltshire, UK, collection. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Christie's catalogue page.

The lamp belongs to the Loeschke type VIII, eastern variants. These lamps appeared in the second half of the 1st century but were long-lived, for a number have been found in a 3rd century A.D. context in the necropolis of Beth Shearim. Whether this decor of typical double volutes was devised by lamp makers in Asia Minor or Attica, and who influenced whom, is not yet possible to determine. But it is worth signalling the use of this decor as anchored in the eastern part of the Mediterranean.