Roman Fresco Wall Plaster Fragment

Squat and shallow with curved rim, old pencilled notation '[....] Alfriston, E. Sussex'. 287 grams, 16.5 cm



From the private collection of a Canadian gentleman living in Essex, UK, formed since the 1920s-circa 1990. Property of an Essex lady until the late 1990s; thence by descent. From the private collection of an Essex gentleman since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

A biconical facetted lentoid-section lead sling shot (glans), inscription monogram a combination of letters 'C', 'A' and 'E', for 'C A E S' referring to Julius Caesar. 38.6 grams, 31 mm



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a gentleman collector. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 4th May 2022 and titled 'Roman Res Publica - Lead Slingshots (glandes) of Caesarian Age - 45 B.C circa'. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The shot (type IIb of the Völling classification) is marked with the abbreviated name of Julius Caesar; vast quantities were used at the Battle of Munda (or Monda) against the last supporters of Pompey, the leaders of the Optimates, on the 17th March 45 BC. Similar shots were used during Caesar's wars. The slingers of Caesar's age were part of the light infantry. Caesar speaks of his Balearic slingers during the conquest of Gaul. They wore a short tunic, with leather or rope sandals to the feet, and a warm overcoat which could also have been used to store projectiles. They also used a satchel to carry deadly lead-like stones or bullets.

A designer necklace string composed of alternating oblate and barrel-shaped beads; central feature composed of larger beads including a conical and an annular bead, restrung. 13.7 grams, 31 cm



From the London, UK, art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

In the Roman period there was a strong formal and chromatic diversity of glass beads used for necklaces and bracelets. The most common beads in forms were small biconical (lenticular), barrel-shaped, spherical and annular; the most common colours were dark blue, followed by green and yellow. The succession of glass beads often imitates jewellery made of costly materials (gold, silver, semi-precious and precious stones). Green, blue-green, blue, yellow, and black drawn and rounded glass beads (like here) are late Roman types.