Roman Bronze Erotic Mount

Comprising three lacquered porphyry slices of rectangular shape, cut on both faces and polished on one face; probably from recycled material mined in ancient Roman times between the 1st and 5th century A.D.; intended for use as inlay panels. 82.8 grams total, 7.2-10.1 cm



From Egypt. Ex Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's).

Mons Porphyrites (today Jabal Abu Dukhkhan) is the mountainous site of a group of ancient quarries in the Red Sea Hills of the inhospitable eastern desert in Egypt, a five day trip from the Nile during Roman times. They were discovered by Caius Cominus Leugas in 18 A.D., and during the Roman Empire the mines officially belonged to the emperor and were the only known source of the Imperial Porphyry, Mons Porphyrites. This dark purple stone was associated with royalty and used for prestigious sculpture and architecture. The location of the mines was lost some time in the 5th century, and rediscovered in the early 19th century. Excavations in the area have revealed the well-preserved quarries and the dwelling places of the quarry men, and also thousands of ostraca have been discovered containing messages that provide details of how the quarrying took place, and of how the highly skilled quarrymen ordered their food.

Comprising two discoid ornamental appliqués with beaded rims, each with repoussé pelta-shaped panel terminating in opposed bird-heads, surmounted by scrolled tendrils and a kantharos enclosed in a laurel crown. 7.28 grams total, 64-65 mm



Acquired in the early 1990s. From the collection of a London antiquarian. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The subject represented on these two bracteae is a military shield in the form of a crescent, the so-called pelta, associated in the Late Roman iconography with the Amazon female warriors. This was not necessarily only an iconographic motif, considering that many shields of this typology were represented on the pedestal of the Column of Arcadius in Constantinople (circa 400 A.D.) and they seemed to be associated with the heavy cavalry of the Imperial guard (D’Amato-Negin, 2017, p.252). This could suggest that these gold sheets were applied upon phalerae or military decorations.

Portion of a carved frieze with reserved border to the upper edge; panel with high-relief carving of youthful Phaethon in profile with mantle and himation, mop of curly hair, right arm extended holding reins extending to the mane of the horse at the right edge; drilled to accept mounting pegs. 1.05 kg, 17.2 cm



Private UK collection. Acquired in the 1980s. Property of a Cambridgeshire gentleman.

In the story, which appears in several versions, Phaethon was the son of Helios the sun-god who asked to validate his parentage by driving his father's chariot. Helios tried to dissuade him, but the youngster would not listen and eventually managed to take control, but was unable to master the horses and the celestial vehicle veered out of control - too close to the ground where it started fires and then too distant so that the ground froze. Eventually, Zeus took remedial action and hurled a thunderbolt, which killed the boy. His dead body fell into the river Eridanus, and his sisters, the Heliades, were turned to black poplar trees while they mourned him.