Roman Bronze Square-Shaped Bell

Mould-made with convex shoulder separated from the concave discus by a narrow band of triangles and ovules, single groove around the discus, lower filling-hole, burn marks on the nozzle, flat undefined base, discus decorated with the head of Medusa within a laurel. 50 grams, 86 mm

Fine condition.

German collection formed since 1970. Acquired on the UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman.

A Loeschcke VIII variant. The form and decoration suggest a Hadrianic date, at which time Medusa was one of the most popular subjects depicted on lamps. In ancient mythology, Medusa was one of three monstrous winged female creatures who had venomous snakes living in her hair. The story of Medusa is elaborated by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphosis, which explains that Medusa was a beautiful woman until she had sex with Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Athena exacted punishment on Medusa, turning her into a monstrous creature with a glare that turned all who gazed into her eyes to stone. Medusa was eventually beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, who used her head as a weapon which, even after being hewn from Medusa's body, could turn his enemies to stone. Perseus later presented Medusa's head to the goddess Athena, which she in turn weaponised, placing it on her shield. In classical antiquity, representations of the head of Medusa appeared in the apotropaic device known as the Gorgoneion, designed to ward-off evil and bad luck.

Discoid in form with twelve impressed dots, two parallel lines and one perpendicular. 4.5 grams, 18 mm



Found Cirencester, UK, prior to 1999. Acquired 4 February 1999. From the important private collection of dice and gaming pieces of Colin Narbeth, London, UK, collection no.59. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Celtic & Roman Artefacts book pages where this object is published.

Carved in the round with fleshy facial features, almond-shaped eyes and small pouting mouth; the hair modelled with hollowed curls above the brow; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.6 kg total, 17 cm high including stand



Found Cambridgeshire, UK. 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.

These kind of sculptures represented people or divinities of the Roman Britannia. They are found in several civilian tombstones, characterised by provincial style, that was enhanced by colouring which is absent today. The image here represented is a domina (a high-status middle-aged woman) in a typical hairstyle of 2nd-3rd century A.D. (Graham, 1984, p.222). In these provincial artworks the strong influence of the Celtic art is evident, especially in the eyes and hair of the sculpture.