Roman Lead Weight Group

Mainly composed of restrung opaque beads of various shades of blue, including barrel-shaped, annular, facetted, tubular and some small facetted lapis lazuli beads. 14 grams, 50 cm long



UK gallery, early 2000s.

Irregular terracotta fragment with horizontal rib and high-relief palmette motif to the obverse; old inked collector's inscription 'Roman Brick' to one side; remains of light-coloured pigment; vertical mounting rib to reverse; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.38 kg total, 21 cm high including stand



Private collection of Katherine Carson, Delaware, acquired in the 1930s and thence by descent to great-nephew before sale by Ms Carson. This artefact was part of a large collection of curios, a photo of which is in the Dover Post (8 October 1975, p.3) when in the ownership of Alan Hunn of Delaware. Previously offered at auction by Artemis Gallery, 14 February 2010, lot 30 (unsold lot with pre-sale estimate of 2,000 – 3,000 USD). Ex Sands of Time Ancient Art Gallery, Washington D.C. U.S.A., January 2012, item number RT903.

Comprising large tile and vessel fragments, some with inked notes; and a group of white and grey tesserae, including one large redware tessera. 2.3 kg total, 1-17 cm



Found St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. Acquired from the finder in 2008. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.

The great monuments of Verulamium were efficiently destroyed by the medieval builders of Saxon and Norman abbeys. They sought Roman bricks and, above all, limestone which could be burnt for mortar. Most of the ancient Roman town stone monuments were broken up and thrown into lime kilns. These surviving fragments give a hint of what was once there. For the monuments and buildings Romans used Northamptonshire limestone, but the more delicate, finely carved inscriptions were realised in Purbeck marble from Dorset.