Roman Gold Pendant with Cabochon Garnet

Including spherical, annular and other types including some 'trade wind beads'. 140 grams total, 1-9 mm



From the private collection of the late Mrs Belinda Ellison, a long time member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, c.1940-2020.

Standing in contrapposto pose, wearing a cloak draped from the right shoulder and tucked around the left arm supporting a caduceus with snake-head finials; broad-brimmed petasos with wings on the crown; the right arm held vertically at the side supporting the marsupium coin-purse; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 111 grams total, 88 mm 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.

Mercury was the god of trade and industry, whose principle shrine in the city of Rome was at the Circus Maximus. The draped mantle is typical for statuary of Mercury from the 1st-2nd century A.D. (Boucher, pl.40, 43) as is the caduceus (Boucher, pl.46 (211)).

Modelled with arms held behind the back, legs astride and left knee bent, head angled upwards over the right shoulder; the trousers and sleeves with incised crosshatched pattern, plain shoes; the hair drawn up in the 'Swabian knot' style above the right ear; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 93 grams total, 62 mm 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.

Statuettes of foreign ‘barbarian’ prisoners of this type have been found along the Danube. Their spread coincides with the Marcomannic wars of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Swabian knot in this warrior’s hair has parallels with the warrior depicted on the contemporary Sarcophagus of Portonaccio, which represents a battle between Romans and Germanic Gauls.