Roman Marble Hand Holding Rope

A carved marble herm boundary marker carved in the round as the bust of an adult male wearing a conical cap and with a full beard; dorsal pillar terminating behind the head. 7.3 kg, 31.5 cm high



French collection, 1960s-early 2000s. From an important Paris gallery, France. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11629-199364.

Possibly an architectural element or herm: herma (Ancient Greek: ἑρμῆς, usually called a 'herm' in English), is a sculptured stone block with a head and often a chest above an undecorated lower section on which male genitals may additionally be carved. From the Neolithic period onwards, in parts of Europe, divinities were worshipped in the form of either a heap of stones (cairn) or a wooden column. Piles of stones were created beside roads and at the borders of fields as they were cleared of pebbles, and religious respect was shown through the custom of each passer-by throwing a stone on the heap or offering a libation. In due course, the addition of a carved head (and phallus) to the column encouraged the belief that these monuments were especially favoured by divinities.

A bronze statuette of a bound Mauritanian prisoner with his hands tied behind his back, naked body with exposed genitals, hair arranged in tight curls. 40 grams, 60 mm high



Acquire in the 1990s. Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.

The face of this bound barbarian, who is forced into a squatting position by the way he is bound, is framed by rich locks betraying his Moorish origin. Numerous statuettes of bound barbarians have been found at the Empire’s outer boundaries. Many have vertical and horizontal bores, which have led to the interpretation that they were ornaments for horse bridles or snaffle fittings.

A group of five copper-alloy animal brooches, comprising: a peacock with feather and head detailing; leaping hound in profile right; openwork horse standing right, pin lug and pin to reverse; frog with large circular eyes, pin lug, pin and catchplate to reverse; lion running right with remaining enamel detailing, pin lug, pin and catchplate to reverse. 36 grams total, 34-43 mm



Acquired before 2000. From the collection of a European gentleman living in the UK.