Roman Bronze-Handled Iron Key

Cuboid with impressed ring-and-dot motifs disposed 6:5, 4:2, 3:1. 35 grams, 15 mm



Found UK prior to 2000. From the important private collection of dice and gaming pieces of Colin Narbeth, London, collection no.61. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Celtic & Roman Artefacts book pages where this object is published.

The conventional Roman dice were made in bone or lead, with dots representing numbers from 1 to 6. Roman dice from the Romano-British settlements are often poorly made and often had opposite sides that do not add up to 7.

From the yoke of a chariot comprising a D-section ring, collar and knop-ended crescents, broad pierced lateral flanges. 365 grams, 16.5 cm



Reputed to have been excavated near Viables in Hampshire at the end of the 19th century. From the estate of the late Jennifer Simmonds. Acquired from Jacobs & Hunt auctioneers, Petersfield, Hampshire, UK.

Parcel-gilt crossbow brooch with onion-shaped knops to the ends of the headplate and medially along the top edge; deep trapezoidal-section bow with median gusset; D-section footplate with chamfered sides open to one edge; upper part of one face of the bow with niello-filled running scroll design, lower part of the other face with running guilloche; beaded wire collar at the end. 14.6 grams, 46 mm



Ex N.C. collection. Acquired on the Swiss art market in 2000. European private collection.

Crossbow fibulae of this type were worn by high officers and, if in gold, even emperors, from Constantine to Justinian, as symbols of military rank. These fibulae are an important element in the graves, for the classification of the category of the dead, as belonging to the militia (armed or not); many of them were in gold, or gilded silver, and decorated with an inscription.