Roman Miniature Bronze Turretted Brooch

From the upper part of the vessel, displaying a frieze of profile busts and figural scenes within roundels, winged Victory holding a wreath and standing on globe between the roundels; the central roundel with Sol Invictus and a sun chariot. 155 grams, 18.5 cm



Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

This terra sigillata fragment appears to have been part of a large tray, celebrating the imperial triumph of an early 4th century emperor, possibly Constantine or a member of his family such as Crispus. The combination of triumphal symbols (palms, quadriga, radiated crown) with imperial figures is typical of the tetrarchy and early Constantinian era, where elements of dying paganism were still used to celebrate imperial glory. Note the detailed late Roman clothing, with a closed chlamys-paludamentum on the right shoulder and, in the profile figure, a thorax with hemispherical shoulder protections.

Composed of graduated monochrome opaque black glass beads of various types, including amorphous, facetted, spherical, carinated and other types; restrung. 16.8 grams, 80 cm long



Ex W.J. collection, 1990s.

Composed mainly of polychrome glass, faience, lapis lazuli and other beads of various sizes and types, including tubular, annular, spherical, ribbed and other types. 67 grams total, 2-68 mm



Ex W.J. collection, 1990s.