Roman Gold Cupid Pendant

Comprising a triangular spearhead-shaped panel with flared split socket; two separate figures attached with rivets: on the left Helios (or Sol) with draped mantle and radiant crown, holding a sphere in his left hand; on the right Faunus (Pan) with two curved horns, a short beard, arms bent forwards, the upper body covered by a hide jerkin and the legs with shaggy fur; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.39 kg total, 38 cm including stand



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.

The piece is reminiscent of the votive plates in the Dolichenus cult, or possibly of some other cult.

Cuboid with ring-and-dot making disposed 1:6, 2:5, 3:4. 2.28 grams total, 8-9 mm



From the important private collection of dice and gaming pieces of Colin Narbeth, London, UK, collection no.46.

Comprising a pair of discoid appliqués with beaded rim and high-relief pelta (military shield) motif, one with the pelta surmounted by a kantharos with a laurel wreath above, the other with vegetal volutes. 6.60 grams total, 61-62 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 appliqués is a crescentic military shield, the so-called pelta, associated in the late Roman iconography with the Amazon female warriors. Many shields of this typology were also represented on the pedestal of the Column of Arcadius in Constantinople (circa 400 A.D.) and seemed to be associated with the heavy cavalry of the Imperial Guard (D’Amato-Negin, 2017, p.252).