Roman Bronze Cockerel Tintinnabulum Pendant

The hoop expanded slightly at the shoulders, circular bezel engraved with what is possibly a stylised warrior figure wielding a spear. 2.25 grams, 22.55 mm overall, 19.38 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P, USA 7 1/2, Europe 16/23, Japan 15)



Private collection formed since the 1940s. UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman.

The oval intaglio engraved with two winged Victories, facing each other in profile, wearing long garments crossed on the breast like a trabea consularis, both holding a staff-standard with a double forked tip. 1.64 grams, 17 mm



Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Important North West London collection.

The iconography of two Victories facing each other is clearly from Late Antiquity and reflects the images of the two victorious empires - East and West - that, transformed into winged Nikes, are holding together the standard with the chi-rho (the two Greek letters forming the initials of the name of Christ), conceived as a long shaft topped by the Greek letter P (R) and the superimposed letter X.

Comprising a broad carinated bowl with central hole and hatching to the rim, stepped stem and flared base with rolled rim. 401 grams, 13.1 cm wide



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

Maybe a vessel used for the holy libations, as could be deduced from the central aperture. The Romans had adopted the Etruscan rituals for the sacred libations called aisna or eisna, and they essentially consisted of prayers and offerings. Most of the offerings took place during the morning (thesan), and vacl thesnin was the 'morning libation'. The practice included a threefold offering, to heaven, earth and the gods.